Europe Trip

Friends making wine in Sauternes and Coteaux du Layon report a mediocre year in Sauternes and an OK year in Layon. No wonder, it rained most of august in Bordeaux, so despite PR painting a rosier picture this is a year badly behind in maturity.

Mike

sibeer wrote:

It rained in August not only in Bordeaux, but in the whole of Europe, more or less.

Over here in Austria things changed to the better. Since the beginning of September - which makes 56 days today - here in Vienna we had two days with very light rain and three more that were overcast. That makes 51 days of brightest sunshine, warmer than normal temperatures (especially in September), but cool nights.

Today is Austria's National Holiday, again a bright, sunny and warmer than normal day (17°C).

I remember frost on exactly this day in 1991, when Franz Hirtzberger called me to cancel my appointment because everybody manpower available (including himself) had to rush out to the vineyards to harvest.

Growers report phantastic ripe fruit, exceptional taste of the berries, fine acidity levels - I guess this will be a phantastic year.

M.

I think that in northern France (I include the Loire) there wasn't much rain, but no sun either. It was reported that following the hottest average June and July on record August was the coldest since before WWII. Not exactly propitious conditions.

-E

Really? Both hotter than 2003? Can't believe that

Also over here.

Well, over here the most perfect Indian summer I remember not only saved the crop, but did some kind of magic.

M.

It truly was. But not quite as long lasting...

The heat wave lasted almost 7 weeks, much longer than in 2003. So the average is higher if not the peak. Even still, it was over 40C in early June here in Normandy!

I certainly don't have that impression here. We did get some warmer weather in September, but too little too late.

Maybe I should become a mad visionary and plant Chenin in one of our fields. After all, if they can make wine in England... ;)

-E

That's Normandy for you.

And in the rest of Europe.

M.

I still remember the 35°C in late May (!!!) while I was at a vineyard for the "Cantine Aperte" (open cellars) day. Unbearable heat for months, the dream of every AC units vendor.