2010
2010: Not so easy to farm for an exceptional result
The start was difficult with a critical frost during the winter, which killed 5% to 10% of the vines, mostly in the plain. Luckily our vineyards weren’t exposed to these cold conditions because they are on the slopes, which are less affected by the cold.
Spring was rainy and cold, vine growth was slow, and during a difficult flowering many grapes aborted (coulure), leading to a small crop with many imperfectly fertilized berries (millerandage)...
During the summer, the weather alternated between hot and dry, cold and wet conditions that didn't help our efforts to produce good grapes. Burgundy climate is special!
Vinification
The month of September was wonderful for ripening the grapes: cold nights stopped any rot and encouraged thick skins, helping the aromatic precursors to ripen. We started picking on the 22nd of September; there was nothing to be gained from waiting longer, as the grapes were concentrated and healthy. Two days later, the rains came, and picking was finished quickly in 3 days!
Great result
The result was huge concentration, lovely colors, brilliant fruit. The first analysis showed a good balance of all the cuvées. The only bad point was the crop volume--30% less than the previous vintage! Yields were between 20-30 hl/ha.
Next
That reminds us of the 1971, 1978, even 1991 vintages. These three vintages aged pretty well. Maybe one the the best vintages of the past 20 years...