The temperatures have dropped quite a bit with the arrival of showers and thunderstorms and are now down to just below 30 degrees Celsius, aside from today, Wednesday, August 19th. Still quite hot though!
The weather is becoming more unstable next week with almost daily showers – there is, however, a tendency to see the promised showers disappear from the forecasts before they materialise on the vineyards.
The alcohol game
This is getting more and more sure … and painstakingly visible …
The main issue will be the alcohol levels … the reds are already around 13,5-14% degrees in some/many vineyards … and the whites are also reaching or even surpassing the target – we talk 14 – 15% … in some cases more.
The aromatics carry the alcohol levels surprisingly well so far; many of the grapes taste surprisingly well … and this is important to notice for now. The material is fine … but yields are too limited, and alcohol is increasing – as is PH in some vineyards
We are talking August 19th, and dreaming about a harvest at the start of September seems somewhat unrealistic with the current development in the alcohol levels.
More and more are speaking about a drop in acidity and a rise in the PH values – an indication of more unstable and potentially heavy wines.
Most will still hope for an effect of the rain … and during the week hope for a little more juice in the berries … likely? – There is, however, still a chance to get some more in these thunderstorms.
But this is soon becoming a simple struggle of just getting the wines in the cellar before it’s really too late. So the next week is really the harvest window, unless your vineyards are made from kryptonite!
The phenolic ripeness is, as always, a part of the theme … and this year with a twist due to the drought. More about this in these reflections about the ripening process. The study is interesting … but I think the development in the vineyards more suggests getting to work with your picking team.
Harvest activity
Quite a lot of prominent estates will start at the beginning of this week … names like Dujac, Cécile Tremblay, Rousseau, and DRC are expected to start Wednesday.
Quite a lot of prominent estates will start at the beginning of this week … names like Dujac, Rousseau, and DRC are expected to start Wednesday.
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Harvest time … Forecast
| Forecast date | Harvest Côte de Beaune | Harvest Côte de Nuits |
| May 18th | August 15th | August 22th |
| June 20th | August 15th | August 22th |
| July 5th | August 15th | August 22th |
| August 7th | August 12th | August 18th |
| August 9th | August 7th | August 9th – early start small plots |
| 2025 Harvest Final | August 17th | August 27th |
Weather – forecast
I will follow the weather in the harvest reports; start date August 12th – base level is Nuits-Saint-Georges,
Yesterday’s Harvest View
Harvest articles
- Harvest 2026 – avanti … Avanti!!
- Harvest 2026 – a fair bit of rain!
- Harvest 2026 – here we go … but no rain
- Harvest 2026 – Burgundy is now in harvest mode
- Harvest 2026 – possible panic is lurking
- Harvest 2026 – Friends, free and Fee
- Harvest 2026 – preparing for harvest next week
- Harvest 2026 – preparing the start
- Harvest 2026 – the harvest unfolds
- Harvest 2026 – has started
- Harvest 2026 – less than two weeks to the start
Contact – mail me a tip or a photo
Send me an email – if you have some harvest news
- A true vin d’émotion – a Burgundy of passion
- A truly hedonistic wine – lively and enjoyable
- A vivacious wine for pure indulgance
- A potential vin d´émotion - frais et léger
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