2023 produced attractively rich and ripe wines. They are in the apple and melon spectrum of aromas and most have normal levels of alcohols between 12.5% and 13.5%. They will make delicious drinking in the short and medium term. In terms of previous vintages, the 2023s are in a similar style to 2018 and 2020, and less ripe than 2015, 2016 and 2019. It was a good-sized harvest in the Côte d’Or, which has led to some price reductions in the Bourgognes, although prices of the most sought-after appellations like Meursault and Puligny have remained firm.
Order by midday on Tuesday 10th September
Weather
Although 2023 was one of the hottest and driest recent years, the very high temperatures do not directly correlate with the level of ripeness in the grapes. That is because some of the hottest weather was in January, which advances the cycle but not necessarily the maturity. There were three periods of hot spells which catch the eye of some commentators (8th-11th July with a peak of 39ºC, 18th-25th August up to 37ºC and 2nd-12th September up to 35ºC). However, when the temperature goes much higher than 30˚C vines, especially in dry and windy conditions, shut down in an act of self-preservation to conserve water, and the ripening processes stop. Indeed, François d’Allaines and Solène Panigai noted these spells delayed the final maturity, or véraison. The generous size of the crop in the Côte d’Or, and the normal rainfall of 775mm, helped put a brake on maturity.
June was a month which was different in the Côte d’Or, which was dry, compared to the Mâconnais, where it was rainy, and which led to crop loss due to mildew but the beneficial rain reduced alcohols. The 2023s are particularly good in the Mâconnais, due to the moderate crop, and are perhaps even better than the 2022s.
Harvest
Producers had to be on their toes as the September heatwave coincided with harvest. The best-organised producers now cope well with such events and have increased the number of pickers and pressing capacity as grapes are ready to be picked over a shorter time period. Grapes were healthy and ripe. Some producers now pick only in the mornings when grape temperatures are cooler.
