We started the year shivering and coated in mud as chilly winds and heavy rains blew over us. The season got off to a miserable start: cold, wet and disheartening with vine growth lagging by a month as we reached May. But, mercifully, May was magical: warm and dry with stable high pressure and that’s the way the weather stayed until September.
Véraison came only slightly late as the grapes caught up. But hopes of an Indian summer were dashed by cooler temperatures and, by mid October, worrying storms were forecast for the month end (the St Judes’ Day storm). That pushed us to pick in the last week of October.
We ended the season as we began in torrential rain and howling winds just after the crop was safely in. Although not a warm vintage, we benefitted from good sunshine hours.
This was the year of Pinot noir – with exceptional flavours in the fruit. The Pinot Gris also produced very good quality grapes. These were the first vintages of our Award Winning Tradition Brut Blanc de Noirs and our avant-garde Pinot Gris based cuvée Inspiration Brut Blanc de Blancs, sparkling wines.