Hello Berserkers:
I am stationed in Bordeaux for about a month, to complete a degree program and cover the harvest. I wanted to share stories from the 2009 Vandanges with you. More is posted at my online mag, City Wine Journal – the Face Book Page has photos, video, interviews and news, and is linked below. I hope you enjoy the short videos from Margaux, St Julien and Pomerol. More to come…
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/City-Wine-Journal/104457391820
Harvest Moon Over Pomerom Portends Greatness in 2009?
A quick follow-up tour this morning with Bruno Baillarguet, owner of Vignobles & Chateaux wine shop in Saint-Emilion reveals interesting and aggressive decisions are being taken all over the region. In Pomerol, “everything’s in the tank” at many chateaux. Merlot was harvested early in the week, and a flurry of activity over the weekend and yesterday pulled in Cabernet Franc at a few chateaux, with big smiles and sighs of relief that the “risk” of harvest is now over. It’s an interesting psychology, because the wine makers have had such amazing weather, but waiting “one more day” can also take its toll on your nerves. Eventually you have to make the final decision, bring it all in and work with what you’ve got.
in this case, what they’ve got in Pomerol is amazing fruit. Color, sugar levels, acidity and aromas are putting everyone in a very hopeful frame of mind. It is true the Merlot is running “a little hot”, at 13.5-14.5% for some of the newer vines, so it will take some skillful blending with Cab Franc, and old vines vs new to create the right balance.
In Saint-Emilion, checks at Ausone, Trottevieille, and Pavie Macquin show much of the harvest remains on the vine. Today is warm and cloudy, with even a few rain drops – the first in a couple of weeks. It was also warm overnight, so there is something of a technical balancing act going on here, too. On the one hand, the fruit quality in St E is superb, but the longer they wait, the higher the alcohol potential will rise. On the other hand, the skins continue to soften and lose density, which is to the benefit for tannins and extraction. Thus the dilemma – do you pick now, with skins that could use another couple of days, or do you wait for the skins to improve fractionally, and risk a little more ripeness?
Many are making the second choice, because the fruit is so nice, they have a chance to make something historic. It will be higher alcohol for sure, but the wines themselves have an opportunity for greatness.