'After a very cold and rainy spring which lasted until mid July, warm days have finally arrived throughout August and early September. However sunshine has not been sufficient enough to compensate the late summer arrival. Due to these very unusual weather conditions, the maturity of the grapes are approximately three weeks behind a normal year.
Nice weather for the upcoming fifteen days will be necessary to reach a nice vintage. Either way this harvest will be small in terms of volume because of poor Grenache flowering; around 40% of it was lost.
At our Riotor property in Provence, harvest is much further ahead and we are about two-thirds of the way through. Quantities are more satisfactory than in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but will most likely stay at the level of 2012; i.e 25% under normal yield again
The qualities so far are very nice and the fruit has very bright violet hints. We anticipate this vintage will be as qualitative as 2012 and probably even better!'
