Encouraging news from Bordeaux

The news, here at least, is good! We've had a week of sunshine and warmth. Better than anything in August. So the grapes have continued to ripen. Those who did not thin their crop will have got some benefit but those of us who did the hard groundwork, are harvesting 14 even 15 degree Merlot. It's likely the Cabernet will not be this ripe so we will have a nice average; 13 to 13.5. Amazing result really, when you consider how bleak everything looked at the end of August!


All the time I was crop-thinning those unripe green grapes in August, I was thinking "you're wasting your time; no way is this going to ripen in time". Now some people are saying they are going to make superb wine this year. But that's only the best producers. There'll be a lot of weak stuff around too. A good vintage though, if you buy with care!

But the ripening is coming to an end. In the last 2 days the whole country has turned yellow and red! The trees and the vines, both. Only a few of the better-tended vineyards are still green. It’s the first time I've ever seen ripe black grapes hanging under yellow vines. Black and yellow is a new look. People never used to leave grapes on the vine anywhere like this long. But the keen producers are responding to the customer demand for extra-ripe tasting claret.


I don't have any info on other regions. That's the thing with harvesting, everything focusses on just what's in front of you. And you're going from before dawn (fetch harvesters bread and croissants), picking till noon, stop for 'la soupe', then sorting in the cellar, and cleaning up till supper time, then collapse in bed. No time for the outside world – which, the new arrivals here tell me, is a blessing indeed!