News from the Vineyard
October 13, 2020
by Justine Puaud
2020 Harvest in Sauternes and Barsac
Most of the French producers finished the harvest a month ago but we shouldn’t forget about one region in particular which is always the last one to pick the grapes. In the southwest of France, and more precisely, in Sauternes and in Barsac, winemakers started harvesting this past weekend.
As a reminder, Sauternes and Barsac are world-famous sweet wines of Bordeaux. They are made from Sémillon, Sauvignon blanc, and Muscadelle grapes that have been affected by the botrytis cinerea, also known as “noble rot”.
Many Premier Cru Classé Châteaux have skipped the last few vintages because, according to the winemakers, the weather conditions were not optimal to produce a good vintage. From 2009 to 2014, Sauternes and Barsac made unforgettable wines. Each vintage was unique. Some fantastic vintages were recognized for their richness and opulence while some others are appreciated by the connoisseurs for their balance with a high acidity.
So what about 2020? Most of the winemakers in France seem really happy about this vintage, but what do the winemakers from Sauternes and Barsac have to say? The quality of the wines depends on the botrytis, which can be a capricious fungus. It can give the worst as well as the best. Sauternes and Barsac Chateaux were waiting for the botrytis to concentrate the sugars and acidity in the berries. But for that, they needed a set of climatic conditions that the 2020 vintage was slow to grant.
On average, two sortings have already been carried out. Most Châteaux launched a first sorting on the week of September 14th. They harvested some grapes at the earliest stage of botrytis - very small but of good quality. The second sorting took place the week of September 28th and the grapes were very healthy. But the harvest was not done yet. For the final sorting, everything will depend on the weather conditions to come. The beginning of October was marked by significant rain and everyone is waiting for a clearing and wind for it to dry and for the berries to concentrate.
In any case, 2020 will not be a vintage marked by a strong yield though it should be a pleasant and quality vintage.
Next time, I will share my grandmother’s recipe of foie gras to pair perfectly with a Sauternes!