White Burgundies are, more than other white wines, known for their long ageing potential. But with a changing climate and weather patterns, do these wines risk losing that trait?
The BIVB, Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne , has launched several research projects to investigate this question and to understand how longevity is built, with the aim of eventually adapting production methods.
Forty vineyards are participating in the project, and so far, five vintages have been studied. As expected, it turned out that the winemaker’s choices during vinification directly affect a wine’s resistance to oxidation and thus its ageing potential.
Harvest handling plays a crucial role, especially for grapes rich in polyphenols, says Christine Pascal, oenologist and responsible for the project. All methods that promote their extraction—such as sulphiting the grapes or crushing—increase the risk of the wines becoming sensitive to oxidation.
Conversely, limiting these extractions strengthens the wines’ resistance.
Ageing methods also play a decisive role. The results show that ageing on the lees and using lightly toasted new or one-year-old barrels help build resistance to oxidation.
These are traditional methods that have long been established, and the research project now provides scientific evidence supporting them.
The next phase of the project will be to examine the role grape ripeness plays in ageing potential.
Read more: bourgogne-wines
–
Travel: Come on a wine tour to Burgundy with BKWine. (PS: We’ve written a prize-winning book on Burgundy.)
