Has the upcoming 2015 vintage already been impacted by the effects of global warming? On the first day of the Vinexpo Wine & Spirits Exhibition in Bordeaux it’s a question that regularly comes up in discussions. Julien Duval-Leroy (Champagne Duval-Leroy) gives us an insight into the current situation in Champagne.
How are your vines which will produce the grapes for the future 2015 vintage developing?
Julien Duval-Leroy: “This year has been notable for the mildness of the winter in Vertus; there were only 6 days when the temperature dropped below -3°! Fine meteorological conditions at the end of winter and the beginning of spring allowed the buds to swell nicely, and with the hot weather at the beginning of April the vines were able to begin their cycle with a rapid bud break in mid-April. Vine growth is progressing normally, without incident. Spring frosts have been rare this year. We observed the first flowering from the 5 June with the Chardonnays, followed by the Pinot Noirs which are just beginning to come into flower, as will the Pinot Meuniers in a few days.”
Do you see any difference in vegetative development, attributable to global warming, compared to previous years?
Julien Duval-Leroy: “The development of the vegetation in 2015 is within the range of the decade’s averages. From a sanitary point of view, everything is under control thanks to the dry, windy weather. If the French saying “The wind of Palm Sunday will be the wind of the year”, then Champagne will be subject to an east wind that chases away storms and dries the air. These type of conditions are ideal for preventing the development of disease and particularly rot. All we need is for July and August to be sunny and Mother Nature will offer us a superb vintage. We can envisage harvesting around the middle of September if we apply the “100 days after flowering” rule.”
