Burgundy – 2020 Vintage Report
In the 26 years that I have been visiting, tasting and buying the wines from Burgundy, I do not remember tasting a vintage that left me with such a sense of pleasure, excitement and admiration for both white and red wines. Despite the hot summer and early harvest (many started the white harvest as early as 22nd August and the reds a few days later) the growers themselves have been surprised and delighted at the freshness, elegance, and plumpness of these well balanced, intense yet delicious wines that also have good acidity for longevity.
In the Burghound publication by Allen Meadows he noted ‘ the 2020 Côte de Nuits Reds are deeply coloured, very ripe, exceptionally rich yet exuberantly fresh and intense, impressively concentrated and wines of generally Excellent quality
And for the whites he noted …’2020 vintage in Chablis, the Mâconnais and the Côte Chalonnaise produced very good to potentially excellent whites’
It is therefore safe to conclude that 2020 is a really exceptional vintage.
There is however a downside. Production levels were well down and so it will be impossible for the wine merchants to satisfy the huge demand for the 2020 vintage that is already being experienced worldwide.
We will be offering (once Allocations have been confirmed) the 2020 vintage En Primeur to our regular clients.
I strongly recommend purchasing this 2020 vintage and also the 2019 vintage which I re-tasted in November 2020 after bottling. Back to back these are very good to excellent vintages.
Philip Slocombe.