This year the harvest is very early in many places in France. At the beginning of August, some producers had already started in Languedoc-Roussillon. In Champagne, the first village to harvest was on August 20
The harvest in Champagne started early this year; the earliest villages already on August 20. I went to Champagne Chassenay d’Arce in the Côte des Bar, the southernmost part of Champagne, on the first of
This year’s harvest in South Africa is of exceptionally good quality. The volume of 1.3 million tonnes of grapes is slightly smaller than in 2021 but still larger than the five-year average. “An overall cool
Good weather during the growing season 2021–2022 has resulted in a sizeable harvest in 2022 for New Zealand’s wine producers. (They have, of course, already harvested the 2022 grapes.) Many are relieved. The 2021 harvest
Austrian wines had a brilliant year in 2021. Exports increased by 29.5 million euros to 216.8 million euros, an increase of 15.7%, the largest increase in value ever. The exported volume increased by 3.8% to
In 2021, extremely high June temperatures were measured in Washington State, above 48 degrees C. The rest of the summer continued to be very hot, and 2021 is considered one of the warmest on record.
2021 was a vintage with perfect grapes in all Austrian wine regions, reports the Austrian Wine Marketing Board. A warm and beautiful autumn gave balanced and elegant white wines and powerful reds. The volume was
The harvest is in full swing in New Zealand. The whole wine industry hopes and believes that the 2022 harvest will be larger than last year. Demand for New Zealand wines is high, and stocks
It’s still early days. But the first report on the South African harvest 2022 has arrived. The winter was as should be, with snow in the mountains and rain filling the dams. These were filled
The weather during the harvest in France has been sunny and warm in many places. Despite the problems during the spring and summer, many are optimistic about the new 2021 vintage. Severe weather conditions do
Our travel season is in full swing! We are so happy to see our travellers, the wine producers and the vineyards again. Many of the wine producers we visit are almost embracing us with joy,
The International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) has presented preliminary figures for the 2021 harvest for the southern hemisphere. In the April Brief, we wrote about Argentina, estimated to produce 10.1 million hectolitres, decreasing
The OIV, International Organization of Vine and Wine, recently presented the first impressions of the 2021 harvest for the southern hemisphere. Argentina made a total of 10.1 million hl (preliminary figure, as the harvest has
On October 27, OIV Secretary-General Pau Roca presented the first estimates of the world wine production in 2020. Volumes in the EU were lower than the average as several regions deliberately reduced their harvest despite
One of our very few autumn wine tours went to the Douro Valley in late October. All the winemakers we met agreed on one thing: the 2020 harvest was a challenge, and it was not
In some places, the harvest started earlier than ever this year. Overall, the quality of the grapes has been exceptional. In Champagne, they started picking already on August 17. The quality of the grapes was
In New Zealand, wine producers were in the middle of the harvest when the message came on March 25 about a total lock-down of the country. The relief was great when they were told that
All producers we met on our wine tour in mid-February were, so far, happy with the quality and most of them also with the quantity. After the drought the quantities are now again back to
Burgundy winemakers have been fighting the elements this year. Spring frosts, hail, millerandage during flowering and – perhaps most damaging – lack of water. But when the harvest started on August 31 for the crémant
We came to New Zealand in March earlier this year, just when the 2019 harvest was about to begin. We saw lots of fine grape bunches and we had the feeling that it would be
The first week in April, the primeur tastings take place in Bordeaux. This means that buyers, importers, wine merchants and journalists come to Bordeaux to taste the latest vintage. We also had the opportunity to
Many wine producers in France are happy with the vintage 2018, a record harvest, not least in Champagne, where many now have started the bottling. Jean-Baptiste Geoffroy at Champagne Geoffroy in Aÿ says that it
France in general did a good harvest in 2018, both in volume and in quality. The Ministry of Agriculture has just published figures for the different regions. Total production was 46.6 million hectolitres, which is
When some people think about machine harvesting, they often imagine big monsters that brutalize the vineyard. It is true that harvesting machines are often big machines, but they can be quite gentle to both grapes
It has been a hot summer in France, but the growing conditions have not been easy everywhere. Alban Rabasa, assistant winemaker at Château Vaudieu in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, says that 2018 is une année du vigneron, which
During our visit to South Africa at the beginning of March, the harvest was in full swing. The very difficult, and prolonged, drought in the wine regions of the Western Cape affects the grapes of
There is a severe water shortage at the moment in South Africa’s wine regions. The harvest 2018 will probably be the smallest in ten years. The South Africans begin picking their grapes in February. The
“2017 will go down in history as a very complicated vintage for more or less all French wine regions,” says Graham Nutter in Minervois. He contacted us to tell us a little bit about what
We have received a harvest report from California that says that 2017 will be a very good vintage. The fires in October have not affected the quality of the wines. Napa Valley, Sonoma and Mendocino
Where do all the harvest workers come from? This is a question we are often asked on our wine tours. Even though harvesting machines are being used more and more, still perhaps 40% of all
This year the harvest is very early in many places in France. At the beginning of August, some producers had already started in Languedoc-Roussillon. In
The harvest in Champagne started early this year; the earliest villages already on August 20. I went to Champagne Chassenay d’Arce in the Côte des
This year’s harvest in South Africa is of exceptionally good quality. The volume of 1.3 million tonnes of grapes is slightly smaller than in 2021
Good weather during the growing season 2021–2022 has resulted in a sizeable harvest in 2022 for New Zealand’s wine producers. (They have, of course, already
Austrian wines had a brilliant year in 2021. Exports increased by 29.5 million euros to 216.8 million euros, an increase of 15.7%, the largest increase
In 2021, extremely high June temperatures were measured in Washington State, above 48 degrees C. The rest of the summer continued to be very hot,
2021 was a vintage with perfect grapes in all Austrian wine regions, reports the Austrian Wine Marketing Board. A warm and beautiful autumn gave balanced
The harvest is in full swing in New Zealand. The whole wine industry hopes and believes that the 2022 harvest will be larger than last
It’s still early days. But the first report on the South African harvest 2022 has arrived. The winter was as should be, with snow in
The weather during the harvest in France has been sunny and warm in many places. Despite the problems during the spring and summer, many are
Our travel season is in full swing! We are so happy to see our travellers, the wine producers and the vineyards again. Many of the
The International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) has presented preliminary figures for the 2021 harvest for the southern hemisphere. In the April Brief, we
The OIV, International Organization of Vine and Wine, recently presented the first impressions of the 2021 harvest for the southern hemisphere. Argentina made a total
On October 27, OIV Secretary-General Pau Roca presented the first estimates of the world wine production in 2020. Volumes in the EU were lower than
One of our very few autumn wine tours went to the Douro Valley in late October. All the winemakers we met agreed on one thing:
In some places, the harvest started earlier than ever this year. Overall, the quality of the grapes has been exceptional. In Champagne, they started picking
In New Zealand, wine producers were in the middle of the harvest when the message came on March 25 about a total lock-down of the
All producers we met on our wine tour in mid-February were, so far, happy with the quality and most of them also with the quantity.
Burgundy winemakers have been fighting the elements this year. Spring frosts, hail, millerandage during flowering and – perhaps most damaging – lack of water. But
We came to New Zealand in March earlier this year, just when the 2019 harvest was about to begin. We saw lots of fine grape
The first week in April, the primeur tastings take place in Bordeaux. This means that buyers, importers, wine merchants and journalists come to Bordeaux to
Many wine producers in France are happy with the vintage 2018, a record harvest, not least in Champagne, where many now have started the bottling.
France in general did a good harvest in 2018, both in volume and in quality. The Ministry of Agriculture has just published figures for the
When some people think about machine harvesting, they often imagine big monsters that brutalize the vineyard. It is true that harvesting machines are often big
It has been a hot summer in France, but the growing conditions have not been easy everywhere. Alban Rabasa, assistant winemaker at Château Vaudieu in
During our visit to South Africa at the beginning of March, the harvest was in full swing. The very difficult, and prolonged, drought in the
There is a severe water shortage at the moment in South Africa’s wine regions. The harvest 2018 will probably be the smallest in ten years.
“2017 will go down in history as a very complicated vintage for more or less all French wine regions,” says Graham Nutter in Minervois. He
We have received a harvest report from California that says that 2017 will be a very good vintage. The fires in October have not affected
Where do all the harvest workers come from? This is a question we are often asked on our wine tours. Even though harvesting machines are
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