The Wines

1- Weather Data and Growth Cycle

Following the Indian summer in autumn 2023, there was a significant water deficit and the water table was low. This was followed by a rainy, soft winter, with the number of frost days falling for the 3rd year running: just 30 days compared with 44 in 2023. This is also the 3rd year in a row that average temperatures have risen over the winter: +1.9°C.

The vegetative cycle began in grey, wet weather, with budburst around 26th March. Rainfall figures were well above normal, with 671 mm of rain between October and March, compared with the usual 362 mm. It’s in this rainy context that all the work in the vineyard has to be managed.

The vines began to grow actively at the beginning of April, with 2 leaves spread on Chardonnay vines by the 9th. In mid-April, the weather was very hot, reaching 25°C, but it rained every 2 to 3 days. The climate was tropical and the vines quickly reached 4 spreading leaves in a week. It’s time to start disbudding.  On the estate, our winegrowers have to do a lot of disbudding in order to balance the harvest on each vine and to aerate the vegetation to improve the health of the vines.

Growth slowed considerably at the end of April. With cold temperatures, rain and a lack of light until the beginning of May, the flower buds stopped growing and then aborted, turning into tendrils. The fruit is lost and the harvest potential is severely impacted.

In 2024, rainfall was abundant and almost daily.  Mildew pressure was very intense throughout the season, so we had to remain very vigilant and carefully monitor our plots, as the contact products we use (copper and sulphur) are quickly washed away by the rain, and mildew attacks have a major impact on the harvest.

Mid-May saw the arrival of summer temperatures, the vines reached 9 full leaves, photosynthesis was active, the foliage took on a bright green colour and harvesting began on the estate in our Meursault Premier Cru Perrières and Volnay Premier Cru Clos des Chênes vines.

On Côte de Beaune, the first flowers were visible from 6-8th June for chardonnay and 10-14th June for pinot noir.  After a languid flowering period for pinot and a faster one for chardonnay, the vines continued to grow, reaching the fruit set stage at the beginning of July and bunch closure was completed around 14th July.

Within our plots, there are wide variations in the stage of ripening. The berries grew irregularly, and coulure resulted in bunches with an aerated structure and medium-sized berries. The vagaries of the weather throughout the season had a major impact on the harvest. These observations suggest that the harvest date will be difficult to determine and that the quantity will be small.

The second half of July was hot and dry. The berries grew quickly. Despite these anticyclonic conditions, we are not giving up on downy mildew, which continues to spread.

In terms of veraison, the first pinot noir berries turned red around 8 August. But it was from 12th August, with warmer temperatures, that everything accelerated, and the grapes began to ripen significantly. The few grapes are beautiful and should give us some nice juice.

2- Harvest, Vinification, and Aging

To get the full picture of the 2024 vintage, we started taking maturity samples from our 80 plots on 2nd September, with 2 analyses per week per plot, to determine the optimum harvest date for each plot. The 2024 vintage will be heterogeneous, and each sector will require a detailed analysis of its ripeness. During the 1st fortnight of September, the weather conditions were good, with plenty of light, so everything was in place for the grapes to reach phenolic ripeness.

On the estate’s 67 hectares, harvesting began on 16th September for our Beaune Premier Cru Fèves and Volnay Premier Cru Clos des Chênes parcels and ended on 25th September for our Savigny-Lès-Beaune reds.

For our reds, we decided to carry out a strict manual and then optical sorting of the harvest to select and vat only the healthiest and ripest grapes.

After 5 days’ pre-fermentation cold maceration, the alcoholic fermentation was gentle and regular, with little punching down and mainly pumping over to gently extract the best tannins. After vatting for 16 to 20 days, the wines were placed in oak barrels to mature on their lees.

For the chardonnay, after hand-sorting, pressing, and settling, alcoholic fermentation took place in barrel for 10 to 15 days, depending on the terroir. Aged on the lees, the lees stirring is done on a case-by-case basis, as each cuvée is unique.

3- Tasting

On tasting, the wines are well-balanced, with fruit and flavour in both colours. The tannins in the reds are soft, with a fine expression of pinot noir. The whites are expressive, elegant, and aromatic.

This 2024 vintage is very pleasant in its youth and will reach its peak in 2 to 4 years.