Wine News Archive

Promising harvest in Bordeaux...
After a rainy Winter and Spring, July and especially August allowed the vineyard to catch up with time. Although harvesting will probably start slightly later than 2000 and 1999, the vintage 2001 is still among the earliest vintages of the past 30 years. For the moment, the vineyard is perfectly healthy and the last 2 sunny weeks allowed for an homogeneous ripening of the grapes. The wine-Unions and official institutes are carefully following the evolution of grapes and should announce in the next few days the exact date for the traditional "Ban des Vendanges", that is to say the official opening of the harvesting season.
Harvesting for white grape varieties started around september 15. Merlot and Cabernet Franc will be picked around September 22-24. Cabernet Sauvignon, which is a late varietal, will come to maturity at the end of the month or beginning of October. It is still too early to bet on this vintage as the 2 or 3 weeks to come will play a vital part in the quality and maturity of the grapes... However, if the weather remains as sunny as it currently is in Bordeaux area, 2001 will definitely be an outstanding vintage and certainly better than the 2000 one.

And in California too!!
This year, early summer heat in California and lower yields caused grapes to ripen quickly. If ripening keeps on the same pace for the next and crucial weeks, most vineyards will harvest a crop with a great potential. However, 2001 has not been an easy year. Weather fluctuations earlier in the year kept growers on their toes and in the beginning of April, temperatures went down as the North Coast suffered its worst frost in 30 years.
Sparkling-wine producers started crush with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier in the first two weeks of August, with some producers noting reduced Chardonnay crops due to the severe frost that struck the North Coast in April. While most of August was mild, weather fluctuations earlier in the year kept growers on their toes. Budbreak occurred about 10 days earlier than normal this spring, but in the beginning of April, temperatures plummeted as the North Coast suffered its worst frost in 30 years. The frost reduced crop size at various sites, and vineyards with smaller yields tend to ripen more quickly. Vine growth accelerated during an unusually warm May and June, but slowed when conditions turned cool in July.