In Bordeaux, the weather was within the annual averages but the harvest was still quite early with a hot summer and the promise of beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc with a good maturity! As for the white Bordeaux, the wines are tasting with a little less acidity than those of 2018 and the sweet wines are benefiting from a fairly good passerillage but a rather weak botrytis. In Burgundy, the record heat of the 2020 vintage has resulted in a very early harvest! 2 weeks ahead of schedule for the harvest in Pouilly Fuissé for example. Thus, the 2020 red Burgundy wines are characterised by Pinot Noirs that are quite colourful and textured, bringing power and high ageing potential to the Burgundy grape variety that embodies elegance and delight! As for the white Burgundy wines, the opinions are very positive thanks to the good acidity.
In the vineyards of the South of France, the vines have resisted well to the strong heat, thanks to surprisingly temperate and refreshing nights. The plots of Languedoc Roussillon, Southern Rhône and Provence, used to receive a lot of sun, were therefore spoiled: the beautiful appellations of the South like Chateauneuf du Pape produced quite promising wines for each colour.
The Champagne region announced a very fine vintage for all the appellations, as did the Loire: the most northerly regions like to take advantage of a warm vintage, synonymous with good ripeness and without water stress! Thus the Champagne triptych and the Cabernet Francs had a beautiful vegetative cycle which allowed them to reach the peak of the best flavours they have to offer. The Savoie and the Jura also benefited from a nice coolness at night thanks to the altitude and from beautiful sunshine during the day: as a result, 2020’s wines were made with healthy and ripe grapes!