2018 Vintage in France: remarkable quality

With exceptional weather conditions this spring and summer, the grape harvest began on August 20th in Champagne.

With exceptional weather conditions this spring and summer, the grape harvest began on August 20th in Champagne. At the time of the picking, the bunches were “numerous, in perfect sanitary condition, with an abundance of sugar and flavors well above average,” said the Champagne Committee, the institutional body of the appellation in a statement on the 7^th of September. “The quality of musts lets think to excellent intendeds wines” he said.

In Bordeaux, hail caused considerable loss with nearly 10,000 hectares affected, and the pressure of mildew was very important until mid-July. From a qualitative point of view, the harvest of the red grapes has begun, and the vintage promises to be remarkable: “The berries are rather small and very concentrated with more tannins and anthocyanins (a natural pigment). We are going to have very colorful and structured wines, a correct but not high acidity “, notes Philippe Hébrard, the “Cellars of Rauzan” director, in “Entre-deux-mers”, Bordeaux.

On the Burgundy side, the weather conditions were ideal this year for the vines. And the result is there. The grape harvest ends and the winemakers smile. They harvested grapes they had not seen in a long time. Fully ripe, sweet, full of sunshine. With such a raw material, they will be able to use all their expertise in winemaking to obtain a wonderful nectar.

Find more information and full articles on the following links: la RVF, Le Télégramme, France 3 Régions