Burgundy | 2020 vintage
The singularity of the 2020 vintage will linger in the memories of Burgundy’s winegrowers for quite some time. Anticyclonic weather conditions settled over the region in the spring and persisted until the harvest. The growth cycle, therefore, started unusually early, amounting to almost three weeks from the time of budburst. In some areas, the combination of sunshine and general lack of rainfall resulted in concentration and, at times, sunburn in the most exposed grapes. The rare showers that fell unevenly over the region once more this year played a vital role in preventing the ripening process from stalling. As a result, while overall very qualitative, the 2020 vintage is nevertheless varied between sub-regions and even within a single appellation.
Harvesting began extremely early on 12th August in the Mâconnais and took place under optimal sanitary conditions. Grapes were superb across all regions and only burnt fruits were removed at the sorting stage. The wines reveal surprisingly well-balanced characteristics despite the sunny vintage.
The red wines are immediately appealing thanks to their deep and intense colour, reflecting their excellent concentration. The grapes, however, retained excellent acidity, bringing a lot of crispness to the wines. Successful cuvées are universal from the north to the south of Burgundy. Irancy wines reveal fine structures and pronounced notes of black fruits and spices. The Côte Chalonnaise is no exception, producing both intense and juicy wines. The results in the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune are outstanding, with dense yet particularly velvety tannin structures, wonderfully fruity concentrations, and superb floral notes. Perfection is close at hand, and the best winemakers have achieved perfectly balanced, stand-out wines combining intensity, silkiness, and freshness. These are definitely wines cut out for long-term ageing.
White wines are also of the highest calibre, sharing great fruit maturity, with often ripe and sometimes exotic fruit flavours. From the Chablis region to the Mâconnais, wines are particularly concentrated and retain great freshness due to acidity levels preserved in spite of the heat. Chablis wines are powerful and mineral, Côte de Beaune wines are exceptionally bright, while Côte Chalonnaise wines are opulent and full of character. These wines have great ageing potential and will leave a long-lasting impression.
