Burgundy Difficult Year – third hailstorm in two months!

Burgundy’s wine growers are used to the quirks of nature, especially rain, humidity and the disease pressure that accompanies them. However, 2012 has been particularly challenging. On Aug. 1, the third hailstorm in 2 months unleashed its fury on some vineyards in the Côte de Beaune.

The latest in a series of violent storms affected vineyards in Chassagne-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet, Meursault and parts of the Hautes Côte de Beaune. In a region where most of the row orientation runs east to west, the south-facing side of the vines were damaged, with as much as 50 percent of grapes lost.

Aggravating the situation is the fact that many growers had already removed leaves to promote air circulation to combat the spread of mildew. This left grape clusters exposed and more susceptible to damage from hail.

This was the latest setback in a year that has been unrelenting. April brought cold, wet conditions that retarded the growth of the vines. The precipitation continued into May, with alternating periods of heat and cold, perfect conditions for mildew.

The fight against mildew has required more treatments than usual, but the wet weather has made it difficult to get machinery into the vineyards. Growers have resorted to spraying from canisters carried on the backs of workers.

Violent storms in June resulted in the first hail striking parts of Beaune, Savigny-lès–Beaune and Chorey-lès-Beaune. The continued cold, wet weather resulted in a long, drawn-out flowering with coulure (poor fruit set) and the constant threat of mildew. The second hailstorm hit Volnay and Pommard on June 30. It has rained on and off since.