Burgundy, we need to talk
Year 14, No. 10
If someone were to make the grave error of giving me a talk show, right now would be the time in the program when we return from commercial break to find me sitting behind a desk with an (even more) scowly face as it’s that, “We need to have a talk” moment.
Specifically, we need to talk about Burgundy.
Yes, I know that people in the know have been saying since January that the 2022 vintage is a “resounding success” with “supple, approachable wines for early drinking” but as we all should know, that’s simply Wine Speak to say that it’s “okay”. That’s perfectly fine when talking about your choice of barbeque wines for the summer, but when it’s bottles that are hundreds if not thousands of Euros, that’s a problem.
This is why in March I went up to the bi-annual Grands Jours de Bourgogne to taste through as much as possible and see how the wines were in the first person. The results were quite interesting with some things that didn’t surprise and others that did quite a bit. But, it’s culminated in this new Burgundy Report which spans the entire region.
Back to the south of the Pyrénées, there was a bit of truly unfortunate news in that a massive hailstorm in the Penedès region appears to have at least heavily affected if not destroyed the grapes in a massive spread of 1,500ha of vineyards. (*)
And we otherwise find ourselves in a strangely-cool June. I can only remember it being like this a decade ago in 2014 as from 2015 onwards we’ve been very much in the grip of Climate Change Vintages.
Does this lick of coolness potentially bode well for this year’s harvest? Well, the 20mm dump of rain was most certainly welcome even if it meant getting damp whilst walking the dogs in the morning. Otherwise, as it’s been in the general theme of the 21st century, who knows!
Drink well, be well.
-Miquel
(*) Free to read
The Featured Report
Burgundy 2024
My week and a half spent in Burgundy largely focused on the 2022 vintage, but it included a good number of 2021 wines as well as a Grand Cru tasting of 2020s. There are some amazing contrasts to note which are of course soooo, ‘Burgundian’.
And Now This…
Many people know the wines of Juan Gil from down south in Jumilla, but do you know all the wines of the Gil Family Estates? I had the chance to taste most of their current portfolio which spans all across Spain.
I was thankful to get to taste the Celler Credo wines and write an update to the recent Penedès report as these are some of the finest wines being made from the local white varieties in the region.
The Featured Wine
Familia Torres - Grans Muralles 2019
What Torres has here is a fine wine from a fine vintage that pays tribute to the classic red grape varieties of the Conca de Barberà region while at the same time introducing some old/newcomers. 94pts
This was also part of the tasting of Torres Northwest Catalan wines.