The yearly September releases from the La Place de Bordeaux has left us wanting for more, and we know just what you need. This month, we're spotlighting the 2018 vintage from different winegrowing regions. Read on for our report for 2018, specifically on Burgundy and Rhône Valley in France, and La Rioja in Spain.
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Burgundy is located in the East-Central region of France. The most notable wines produced here by many famed domaines—those commonly referred to as "Burgundies"—are dry red wines made from pinot noir grapes and white wines made from chardonnay. 2018 for Burgundy, was the warmest growing season of the 21st Century, with a lot of sunshine. The region also experienced earlier bud-breaks and flowering, which led to early harvests in most of the Domaines.
Alcohol percentages also rose slightly above the usual, but so did the acidity levels, which provided a nice balance to the alcohol. Despite the effects of global warming on the 2018 vintage, Neal Martin believes the 2018 are "wines destined to give a lot of pleasure, and certainly less austere and reserved compared to their 2017 counterparts."
The Rhône or Rhône Valley region is located in the South-East part of France. It primarily produces red wine. Although commonly divided into the North and South, each area's styles differ despite being in the same region.
Like Burgundy, the Rhône Valley also experienced a hot streak of vintages, which started since 2015. It was a mild spring in terms of growing conditions, followed by a wet winter, which allowed the wineries to rebuild the soil's water reserves. A wet June created unusually high mildew pressures, with the Southern region being more severely affected.
In terms of yield, in general, it was significantly lower. The North underwent shorter harvest periods because the grapes ripened quickly and evenly. However, the South is more widely-spread, hence the varying micro-climates, in which some had humidity issues or heterogeneous ripening.
La Rioja, located in Northern Spain, is the country's top wine-producing region. It is known for its red wines mostly made from Tempranillo and Garnacha. The 2018 harvest in Spain was late, compared to the extremely early 2017 harvest. During spring and winter, heavy showers led the wineries to double-up efforts to curb excessive vegetation growth and a drastic increase in fungal diseases.
Although yields were high, especially in La Rioja, the selection for 2018 was incredibly strict. Ripening was delayed; hence grapes were picked later than usual, so the 2018 wines will need to be aged for a more extended period to soften the tannins.
Check out our wines from Burgundy, Rhône Valley, and La Rioja below and give the 2018 vintages a try for yourself!