Burgundy 2023: What to expect from a rollercoaster vintage

Abundant, generous, but often complicated, 2023 delivered a solid, if rarely stellar, harvest. While 2022 was almost magically easy, weather conditions in 2023 posed challenges at every turn. François Labet, co-chairman of Burgundy’s regional body, the BIVB ( bureau interprofessionnel des vins de Bourgogne ), laments the work the vintage required: ‘In the very difficult climatic conditions [of 2023], there were no Saturdays or Sundays.’ Although Burgundy produced 1.9 million hectolitres of wine (250 million bottles), ‘this was really a rollercoaster year, with waves of hot and cold, rain and dry,’ says Jérôme Flous, technical director of Domaine Faiveley. [subscriber-content] Weather conditions The year began with a warm, dry winter, but with fairly little sun. Rain arrived in March, and buds began to burst in early April, just slightly delayed. April and May were sunny but relatively cool. Flowering started at the end of May and finished in June under exceptional conditions, settling a very large crop of grapes on the vines. June remained warm, but the season's intermittent storms, some violent, began early and continued throughout the season. At times the storms produced hail with localised damage, including Meursault and the Mâconnais. July and August were both cooler than usual, drawing out the process of veraison. There was a flash of heat in mid-August, but then temperatures dropped and rain set in, swelling the grapes with water without ripening them, and threatening rot and mildew. The sun and heat returned in September – crushingly hot at times – and most estates began to pick as soon as the vines dried out. Initial results Although impossible to judge definitively yet, tasting nearly 800 wines from 2023 suggests the following: In Chablis, as elsewhere, there was a great volume of grapes. Isabelle Raveneau, of Domaine François Raveneau, notes: ‘The summer was rainy, which gave juicy grapes, and there was a sunny, hot end to the season that ripened the fruit.’ Vincent Dauvissat, however, points out that the heat degraded the acidity at the end of the season. Although top growers such as Raveneau and Dauvissat produced lovely wines, many will see this year as one to enjoy in its youth rather than one for long ageing. The Côte de Nuits also produced an abundance of grapes. One by-product of the high yield was reasonably moderate alcohol levels. At the same time, however, pH is generally higher and acidity lower. The grapes (when properly sorted) had lush, plump fruit and an approachable style, but often lacked the concentration and structure that confer long life in the cellar. Pierre Lafon of Domaine des Comtes Lafon notes: ‘2023 is what we consider a cold year, yet the yields were generous. The struggle was to keep acidity, so we began to pick on 26 August.’ Others preferred to wait. Benoît Bachelet of Domaine Jean-Claude Bachelet points out: ‘It's important not to mistake acidity for freshness.’ For him, freshness comes from a long maturation. Wines from top growers here will be delicious, yet few will have the electrifying acidity of 2021 or the grip of 2019. In the Côte Chalonnaise, the harvest seemed even more compressed than elsewhere, since there was less rain in August and more heat in September than elsewhere. It was the first vintage at Château d'Etroyes for Domaine Chanson, which recently purchased 45ha in Mercurey. In 2023, they needed 200 pickers to harvest 90ha in just 10 days. Ripeness in the Mâconnais was less homogeneous. Julien Desplans of Verget explains that they had to pick some parcels three times to achieve the desired results, although to him: ‘The whole interest of the Mâconnais is to wait for the right maturity’. In Beaujolais 2023 was cooler than 2022 and the wines kept a bit more acidity, but although the heat was tremendous during harvest, the phenolic maturity was not as high. Throughout Burgundy and Beaujolais, yields were generous in 2023, and the best wines are abundantly fruity. Growers should be able to fill their cellars with approachable, supple wines, and hopefully hold the line on price increases. If many wines lack some of the tension and power needed for long ageing, it is nearly certain that they will charm in their youth, and the potential for top growers to deliver top results is unquestionably in evidence. Charles Curtis MW's full report on the Burgundy 2023 vintage, plus the best wines to seek out, will be published in January 2025. [/subscriber-content] Related articles Burgundy wine stocks rise after ‘generous’ 2023 vintage New and expanded Burgundy winemaker projects to watch Domaine François Raveneau: Taking the pulse of Chablis’ greatest wine

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