Vintage analysis 2024 part one, harvest starting mid next week (probably)
We’ve tasted & analysed grapes over various parcels. Some key takeaways before the beginning of the 2024 harvest, which we anticipate starting middle of next week:
- One of the warmest & wettest winters on record (October- March up 94% rainfall)
- Spring was humid and wet. (May & June rainfall up 80%)
- Quite a bit of hail around the right bank, but we were thankfully unscathed, some parcels with slight damage from rain inflicted 'millerandage'.
- Flowering began on the 3rd of June, four days after the average, and was quick and uniform, and we have a decent amount of berries as a result
- Budding somewhat later than usual due to the humid spring
- 'Véraison’ (the turning of grapes from green to purple) began on the 11th August, six days after the average
- An estimated 30% of Bordeaux vines have been wiped out by mildew, due to the wet and humid conditions, we thankfully have managed to avoid due to the diligence & hard work of our team.
- A hot and sunny July, August and September means we’ll reach most likely reach a full maturity but there maybe a slight greenness in the grape seeds in some parcels, though we’ll wait on those, anthoycyane levels are medium.
- Sugars are at between 206 & 212 grammes per litre, acidity 3,9-4,1, pH between 3,24 & 3,31, potential alcohols 12,3-12,7%, currently.
- We are confident of making a very good wines this year, and it’ll be a very solid vintage, though ultimately may not be the ‘Vintage of the Century;) it should be a vintage which will allow terroir and winemaking to shine.
Bonne vendanges à tous!