Burgundy 2012 Vintage Report - "Less is more"

2012 was a challenging vintage in Burgundy that has produced brilliant wines. Mother Nature threw everything at the growers: poor flowering (though this was to be a blessing in quality terms), mildew, hail (twice) and sunburn. Vitally the one thing that did not present a problem in 2012 was rot. Frank Follin is by no means alone when he says that “the grapes in 2012 were the most beautiful I have ever seen.” The red wines are intense, suave, fresh and ripe. They have the concentration of 2010 but show a little more accessibility and roundness. They will, therefore, show extremely well young, whilst also offering great ageing potential – such is their super balance. The whites are hugely concentrated but in many cases this does not seem to have resulted in too much heaviness or lack of balance, certainly as far as the wines from vineyards grown on poor, stony soils are concerned. It is specifically from these vineyards where wines should have a good long life ahead of them.

Qualitatively this seems to be a very homogenous vintage for red wine, whether its Bourgogne, Chorey Les Beaune or Chambertin. It is difficult to generalise in this vintage, there are so many brilliant examples of elegant Pinot Noir from all over the Cote, though it does seem that Chambolle-Musigny has produced its best wine for several years. That said Arnaud Mortet of Gevrey-Chambertin has produced his greatest work yet, too. Furthermore there are many outstanding Nuits and Vosnes, though be warned Nuits St Georges in particular has suffered particularly low yields. For whites, as mentioned earlier, the most outstanding wines come from the stonier vineyards in Chassagne, Puligny and Meursault. The likes of Grande Montagne, Caillerets, Garenne, Folatieres,Tillets, Perrieres (Puligny and Meursault), Luraule and Clos des Grands Charrons are all well worth seeking out.

Arnaud Mortet

This exceptional quality has come at a price: There is very little wine. The crop ranges from 20 to 90% down on 2011. Gerard Boudot of Etienne Sauzet has been making wine since 1974 and has never known such a small vintage, his Folatieres is just one example - he made 2 barrels instead of the usual 10. Don’t be surprised to see offers of 6 packs, 3 packs and even individual bottles during the 2012 releases in January. 2013 is also terribly small, and with 2011 and 2010 being short crops, too, Burgundy has effectively produced the equivalent of two decent sized vintages in 4 years. Cellars up and down the Cote d’Or look empty. Add this to furious, ever-increasing demand and we have quite a shortage on our hands and producers will inevitably have to put prices up.

Bruno Clair on 2012 Burgundy - Aout Fait le Mout?

If this addage rings true then 2012 has the potential to be an excellent vintage in parts of Burgundy, despite bad weather from flowering through to August. The weather turned for the better from August onwards, perhaps getting a little too good in the third week with a mini heat wave, and lasted right the way through to the end of September.  There was mildew early in the season and flowering and fruit set were poor, which means 2012 is a tiny crop.  Hail in localised parts of the Cote exacerbated the naturally small quantities.  However, rather like in 2010, it looks as if the small crop has helped ripen grapes and produce good quality.  

Bruno Clair, one of Burgundy's most skilled and experienced viticulturists, shares the following thoughts on 2012:

The good weather has not left us alone (only one passage of rain 26/09). Also quality is with some return. In addition to the efforts of vines, that of us vignerons has made this prize well deserved.  

Yields are small, Dominode has produced 18hl/ha and Clos St Jacques 22 hl/ha.  In terms of the quality of the reds there are several certainties.  The sugar content is excellent as well as the malic acid tartaric report/ratio acid. These parameters ensure us of a beautiful balance.

The indigenous yeasts behaved well. No fermentation problems and tanks which go up quietly to 32° - 34° (excellent for the extraction of the colour and the fixing of the tannins). The berries, this year, contain more pulp than of juice. It is necessary to go back to the year 1971 to find similar concentration. To summarize, the colour and the tannins are very present and I think that the wines will be well constructed with the supplement of plenty of fat. I am as extremely satisfied with the qualitative results as much as I am to see the end of the season, it has been a complex one!

latest on 2012 harvest from Burgundy

News in from Morey St Denis, Cecile Tremblay, from her brand new cellars, reports the following on Burgundy 2012:

" The 2012s are in Cuve.  I finished harvest yesterday (having started the 20th September) The grapes looked sumptuous as the came.  At the moment I feel delighted with this vintage (a vintage that looked so complicated in Spring and early summer.) "

more from the Cote de Nuits next week