2021 Burgundy Report
Burgundy suffered a period of unusually cold frost and snow in early April 2021 which had followed a very warm March that had promoted early budding in the vineyards. Not an ideal cenario resulting in massively reduced production. However in our tastings at the Domaines in Burgundy, we were pleasantly surprised by the quality achieved.
The 2021 Côte de Beaune – White Burgundies:
In 2021 the villages in the Cotes de Beaune were hammered by the severe frost and snow of 5th-7th April 2021 with temperatures following to as low as -9C ! The result being the harvest for many Premier Crus and Grand Crus was 70%-80% less production than a normal vintage. Despite this, the wines produced have their own quality and style.
Alain Meadows in the Burghound publication summarised the 2021 vintage as ‘a wonderful and classically styled, old school vintage’. ‘ the best 2021 whites are brilliant but often the better they are, the harder they’re going to be to find ‘.
The 2021 Cotes de Nuits -Red Burgundies: Better than expected:
The Côte de Nuits fared better than the Côte de Beaune overall, which points to more consistency in the 2021 reds than the whites. The wines from this vintage are more approachable in their youth but the best vineyards still offer impressive complexity and poise. The alcohol levels were just under and just over 13%.
This vintage is incredibly good in the context of winegrowers suffering an appalling growing season. The challenges endured pushed many producers to the brink, physically and mentally so the quality achieved almost defies explanation. It is a vintage which compares to some older vintages when Pinot Noir was all about bright red fruit and tartness, with an elusive combination of weightlessness and intensity, transparency and the French ‘terroir’.
Please take a look at our price list with some outstanding Special Offers.