Bourgogne 2011 - Valedictory

This will probably be my last report wearing the RW hat. Whilst I know that many of you press the delete button on sight, I wish to thank those who have taken the trouble to wade through these often splenetic offerings over the years. In recent reports, I had warned that 2009 was overrated, 2010 underrated; these petulant views remain my standpoint, just as I have always supported the 1993 reds over those from 1990. Others for whom I have great respect hold differing views, and that is how it should be: Burgundy is all about a diversity of styles and opinions. Another pleasing aspect of Burgundy is that the wines get to be drunk, and that the pricing of the wines generally, if not always, reflects the perception of the quality of the vintage, right or wrong. I am never more conscious of this than during a Bordeaux primeur campaign, where price is all too often defined by economic conditions rather than quality. This regrettably may change, as the vignerons of Vosne Romanée have been infiltrated by the Bordelais, and there are already nascent signs of a mentality which thinks not, how good is it, but what can I get away with? A recent and pernicious tendency.

One of the advantages of spending the summer in Beaune - the disadvantage being the weather! - is that I can watch the annual drama of that weather play out and hear first hand the reaction of the growers to meteorological events. Depending who you listen to, the flowering took place around the second or third week of May. Taking the 100 day rule, this projected through to a harvest date in the fourth week of August. Indeed one Meursault grower, I was told, a quaintly named M. Boisson, started picking on the 22nd of August; I am also told that he very much regretted this decision. The more media savvy of the other growers in the village - the likes of Arnaud Ente, Comtes Lafon and Coche-Dury - were reported to have started on the 24/25th, claiming the anti-rot treatments of the lesser mortals amongst their colleagues slowed down ripening by at least one degree, thereby necessitating a later harvest date. As you might imagine, the riposte of the more traditional growers was that these golden boys were obliged to start picking because of widespread rot in their vineyards! You believe what and whom you will, but experience shows it is best to taste what is in the barrel.

The defining events of the growing season are, however, more difficult to dispute: a warm, dry spring and July, August for the most part cold, wet and horrid. On the 25/6th of June, temperatures peaked at 40 degrees, leading to south-facing grapes quite literally being grilled, and so reducing potential yields. A serious hailstorm, on the 12th July hit parts of Montagny, Rully, Santenay, and the lower part of Chassagne before blowing itself out over the Grand Crus; Rully suffered 80 percent damage along the plateau and the run of 1er Crus from Margoté to Rabourcé. Eleven days later, there was also a skirmish with hail over Fixin, Brochon and that end of Gevrey. The 17th August brought a major storm to Nuits and Vosne (22mm), accompanied by considerable warmth, 32+ degrees. The following day, in an atmosphere of growing panic amongst the growers, I tasted the samples of must (prélèvements) drawn from various vineyards of the Domaine de Montille - the Volnay Taillepieds was already at 11.5 potential. The hot weather persisted through to the 25th at an uncomfortable 38 degrees, which served only to block photosynthesis and to delay ripeness. Then the weather broke, as is so often the case here after a build-up of heat, and 'la flotte' arrived at about 1130h on the 26th, most inconveniently for those who had started the harvest. Unfortunately, and in addition to all the other concerns, there had been from the end of July an outbreak of 'mildiou mosaïque’ on the leaves, particularly prevalent amongst those vignerons who had stopped treating the vines early. This phenomenon exacerbated the problems of photosynthesis. In short, come harvest time, the vine was at the end of its vegetative cycle - one grower described the plants as ''nécrosées' - and there was nothing to gain in sugar levels. The only plus point for those who waited until September (most of my lot) was a certain concentration achieved by the advent of the north wind. It is also certainly true that the older vines with their deeper rooting systems fared better than the young ones in such challenging conditions.

And the wines? Well, it is not 2010, and it is not 2009, although I would suggest that the whites might turn out better than in this latter vintage. Malolactic in many instances followed on directly from alcoholic fermentation, which has the wine-makers asking themselves questions about racking and sulphur levels - some seemed surprised just how much the wine was absorbing. Most vats were chaptalised by a degree or so except by the ideologically pure. The whites came out of the winter in a rather introspective mode, but would appear since to have opened up and turned quite plump and fruity - there was considerable acidity at harvest time, but very much less so after malolactic. If I had to venture a comparison, it would be 2002. As for the reds, the first thing to remark is that they already taste quite delicious - not necessarily a good thing - bursting with fruit, but they clearly do not have the wondrous density of 2010, but then neither do they share the appealing, commercial sluttiness of 2009. We shall have to wait and see what the elevage brings to the equation, but I see them as akin to 2001 - definitely comparable analytically - but with more youthful enthusiasm. Doubtless - and I do hope I will be proven wrong - just as difficult to sell!

There follows brief reports and some tasting notes on Jean-Paul Droin in Chablis and our two Beaujolais growers.

Being a literary sort of chap, albeit one in touch with popular culture, I will sign off if I may with a quotation from Lennon and McCartney: 'You say goodbye and I say hello.'

Roy Richards