Vintage 2023
The fall of 2022 allowed us to effectuate our vineyard management in good conditions and bring the Bouses 500 fertilizer to our soils and vines in the best of conditions for 2023. Winter arrived mid December with a good frost although water was not sufficient in order to satisfy the reserves. Climate change ? Certainly ! I tore out the vines that I had planted in 2000 in Belles-Filles on rootstock that does not any longer support the excess of heat and dryness. It was heartbreaking and it didn't end there. There will be others to follow.
Spring arrived early once again and by the end of March there were a good number of buds already breaking. The water deficit was already noticable and it was not even a rainy May which resolved the deficiency. The pleasant conditions of April accelerated vegetative growth by the end of the month. Again another precocious year and happily no frost.
The flowering was rapid and we already imagined an abundant harvest. The weather alternated between hot, dry and stormy. The elevated volume of fruit obligated a green harvest certainly for the reds. By late August with its inclement weather, the grapes were enormous and the heat promoted some rot which obligated us to begin harvesting on the 7th of September. Elevated yields for both white and red confirmed. The whites were magig : 14°40 in Sous-Frétille. A severe selection was necessary for the reds. The green harvest had been beneficial for the maturity between 12°50 and 13°60 between the different parcels. However, the heat of September and the sheer volume was exhausting. Still, managing the vinifications required focus as the fermentations began rapidly. The winery was full and that was a pleasure. The reds were not slow and that required a gentle touch on the extractions. What success ! The wines are sound and vibrant but the team is spent. Bravo to the entire team and especially to Guillaume and Thibault, my two trusted righthand compatriots.
This season, generally hot and generous, had raised alarm for the eventual quality of fruit. In spite of the high degrees, our whites exhibit a good equilibrium with beautiful minerality. Following the progression of appellations, the wines unveil a range yellow to exotic fruits.
Our reds have retained their freshness and finesse. Following the progression of wines, this vintage can be approached rapidly with profiles of vibrant red fruit and relaxed structures but then as one climbs in the 1er cru range, les Vergelesses and Ile des Vergelesses, as is typical, reveal firmer structures that will benefit and reward longer aging.