14th July, Bastille Day and it’s time for staff from the Bordeaux château to go on holiday before coming back to prepare for the upcoming harvest.
Touring the vineyards of Bordeaux this week with guests from Hong Kong, there are clear signs of an early harvest on its way. Throughout Bordeaux winemakers are estimating about 3 weeks advance on the usual season and château workers are taking their holidays earlier to be back before the end of August to prepare for a harvest which could start mid September for the reds.
Veraison is clearly on the way in some area see the photos of La Tour and La Mission Haut Brion, which is always ahead of the other vineyards of Bordeaux thanks to its location in the Bordeaux suburbs giving a warmer micro climate.

Veraison at Château Latour this weekVeraison at la Mission Haut Brion this week
An early season does not mean it has all been kindness however. Parts of the plateau of Sauternes were hit by a hailstorm late April.
The Plateau of Margaux was also hit by a hailstorm early June going right through the Rauzan section of the appellation causing considerable damage.
On the Margaux plateau some areas have suffered badly from the very dry and, in particular the very hot, conditions on the last weekend of June have given some of the grapes ‘sun burn’ and in some places, as below where the grapes are exposed to direct sunlight along the edges of plots, grapes have completely desiccated. Showing how important canopy management and leave stripping (or lack of it) is in these atypical vintages.

A touch of sun burn on grapes at Château Haut Baillyafter the hot weekend sun late June
Desiccated grapes on the vines of Château La Mission Haut Brion,these vines on the edge of the parcel are in the direct sunshine wherethey are not shaded by neighbouring vines.
It is a year where the relatively new techniques of optical selection and tribaie will be put to good use;
Rain in the last 24 hours, however light, was a welcome relief .The vine-workers might be looking forward to sun for their holidays as of this weekend but the vines would welcome some water. Looking at the weather forecast the vines might have to wait another few days.
Not all the château close for the holidays, more and more properties throughout the whole of the region remain open to visitors for the summer as wine tourism takes a firm hold in Bordeaux. I would recommend booking ahead however to avoid disappointment.
Happy holidays!

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