Posts from the ‘Vintage Reports 2011’ Category

Feb 21

The Wines of J.J. Prüm, Part II

In the wake of this week’s political upsets emanating from the E.U., with the resignation of Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Boiko Borisov and with the potential re-election of Silvio Berlusconi, it would seem that J.J. Prüm is one of the last standing stable institutions in the E.U., to offer consistency from year to year. With anywhere from 8 to 15 wines produced each year, J.J. Prüm relies on vintage to determine what wines are made. ”In some years,” said Katharina Prüm, “like 2006, there’s no Kabinett.” A humid, warm year, 2006 brought lots of botrytis, yielding excellent quality wines, but no Kabinett and very little Spätlese. However, despite these fluctuations in production, one can always be sure that an Auslese Wehlener Sonnenuhr will offer consistent depictions of the vineyard’s terroir despite the vintage, which is more than what can be said for the promises of politicians.

Sep 7

Fattori Wines–The Garganega Harvest August 30, 2011

Just in from the folks at Fattori Wines: The Garganega Harvest, August 30, 2011!

Up to the 15 August we had perfect conditions: mild temperatures, fresh sometimes cold nights, well distributed rainfall. This situation allowed an excellent maturation of the Pinot Grigio, harvested from 16 August, with healthy conditions and excellent concentration of sugar/acidity, completely uncompromised by the extreme heat of the previous 2 weeks.

Sep 6

Billecart-Salmon Vintage Report 2011

Just in from Billecart-Salmon, A Vintage Report from Champagne:

This year’s harvest started exceptionally early on August 23^rd under sunny skies. All of Billecart-Salmon’s different sectors of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier were ready to start harvest between the 23^rd and the 25^th. This also is rare as they usually have a larger window and this meant mobilizing over 750 people over the course of 230 hectares of vines. The vineyards were picked at 9 to 9.5 degrees of potential alcohol. Billecart always strives to stay at or below 10 degrees. Harvest was halted momentarily last week while they waited out a brief heat wave.