vigneron

Vintage 2021 in Rhône by Michel Tardieu

Vintage 2021 in Rhône by Michel Tardieu

Back to the future! Vintage 2021 was incontestably a thumb to the nose of the last "solar" vintage which we have seen recently in the Rhone Valley. Real 30-year flashback, typically reminiscent of more classical harvest dates in the Vindémiare calendar and phenolic maturity from the 90s. Indeed, this vintage has given us, on all levels, a lot of emotions. Blame it on the particularly capricious weather conditions, sweet understatement! Extreme frost episode from 7th to 9th April, with some temperatures nearing -10ºC, affected without exception almost all the French vineyards. Cataclysmic observations:…Read more
Bordeaux 2021 by Bordeaux Vins Sélection

Bordeaux 2021 by Bordeaux Vins Sélection

2021: A WINEMAKER’S VINTAGE Viticulture is a school of hard knocks. This vintage wouldn’t let us forget it, with successive wavesof challenges: frost, mildew, botrytis. Many fears, doubts, even tears. Lost or frustratinglydiminished harvests. Many April nights were as intense as the days, as constantly mobilizedwinegrowers had to be vigilant, patient and obstinate. However, with careful observation and ever-more precise interventions, they have been able to overcome this troublesome vintage that causedso much suffering. The 2021 vintage is undoubtedly one marked by resilience, thanks to the skillsemployed and to the beautiful weather at…Read more
The importance of learning from each other

The importance of learning from each other

By Dirk Niepoort I love true vignerons - they are rare but they still exist - mostly in France, though there are a few in Germany and other places in the world. True vignerons believe in terroir, they have usually learnt from the previous generation, they probably have not travelled much and they are not specialists in anything because they do everything:        they tend the vineyards during the year,       they make the wines at harvest time,       they oversee the ageing of the wines,      …Read more
The fall and rise of Garnacha in Aragon?

The fall and rise of Garnacha in Aragon?

By Norrel Robertson  As I write the 2014 harvest in Aragon is drawing to a close for what has been an up and down vintage where we have seen possibly the largest quantity of Garnacha in Spain since the 2004 vintage. Quality is likely to be determined by those who were brave enough to drop crops before veraison and to avoid the risk of disease, especially botrytis, which attacks over cropped, tight and compact bunches that Garnacha produces when intervention is eschewed in favour of kilos. For many producers, growers and wineries this has…Read more