La Revue du Vin du France publishes this month a first review of 2007 vintage conditions written at the end of September. The article is too long to translate but here is a summary.
General
After an early warm spring, a cheerless summer and a fine September, the French wine business, except in the Rhône valley and Provence, has been close to catastrophe. In certain regions, particularly those facing the Atlantic, vine disease such as odium and mildew has disturbed the vegetative cycle. It remains to be seen how far the Indian summer will compensate for the rotten summer.
Alsace
Some optimism has re-emerged in September. Unlike in 2006 cool nights and warm days have slowed down and even dried out the rot, permitting a more classical maturity and even favouring the appearance of noble rot for VT and SGN. However the sanitary conditions remain very variable with the higher and more exposed vineyards doing better. First analyses show a high level of acidity.
Burgundy and Beaujolais
By mid September there remained only a handful of the boldest and most patient growers to harvest under the sun. The majority harvested long before the return of good weather. As a result alcohol is low necessitating “chaptalisation” and the pips are not fully mature. The first whites tasted show high acidity, austerity and a lack of volume in the mouth. The reds, when the grapes have been properly sorted, show pretty fruit and the best will be really delicious. Chablis was hit hard by hail and endured one of its most difficult vintages for ten years.
Bordeaux and the South West
More than three months of rotten weather have engendered a lot of rot and record levels of mildew necessitating continuous treatment. Fortunately an Indian summer arrived at the beginning of September and remained in place. Harvesting started much later than usual - about 20th September for the reds and is still continuing (NB: written end September and I provide links below to the Château Palmer website showing that the good weather continued in October together with a blog on harvesting progress).
Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence
Careful viticulture and low yields will be rewarded in 2007. The summer saw high precipitation, particularly close to the coast, and cool temperatures but with a lot of sunlight. Varieties like Grenache and Mourvèdre which need heat will be more difficult to vinify. First tastings show fruity wines which are less powerful than those of the Rhône valley. The wines will be more elegant than structured.
Rhône valley
Unlike in the rest of France, the summer was splendid here (NB: also in Italy). The harvest for the whites started at the end of August and the reds soon after. The grapes are beautifully concentrated and alcohol will be high. As of today (end Sept) the Rhône looks like a great success. (NB: two question marks in my mind? Did the fine summer extend as far North as Hermitage and Côte Rôtie; I doubt it? Why did not Provence follow the Rhône rather than the Languedoc pattern?)
Loire valley
The growers here talk of a miracle after the bad summer. However, although the weather conditions were good, the harvests were difficult to manage necessitating severe selection from some plots. The best dry whites should be fruity and elegant but opinion is more cautious on the reds because of delicate sanitary conditions and, in some cases, a maturity deficit. The sweeties are more likely to be “passerillés” than botrytized.
And here are the Château Palmer links -
http://www.chateau-palmer.com/en46
http://blog.chateau-palmer.com/