One year ago, the coronavirus pandemic was in full force throughout the world.
Many businesses temporarily closed or went remote to protect the health and well-being of customers and employees.
But not all businesses can do that. And this includes winemakers.
Every spring, their grapevines blossom. And each year, they only have one opportunity get that year’s crop just right.
Last April, I checked in with several winemakers in France I have had the good fortune to visit in France in recent years to see how they were dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.
One year later, I contacted the same winemakers in Burgundy, Provence and Chateauneuf Du Pape in France’s Rhone region to see how the past 12 months have been for them. Below, you can find their answers to my questions.
First, let’s start with some good news. In March, the U.S. and the European Union agreed to a four-month-long suspension of 25 percent tariffs on wines from France, Spain and Germany first imposed in October 2019. Hopefully, the temporary suspension of the 25 percent tariff becomes permanent.
But there’s also no denying the pandemic remains a serious problem in France and many other parts of the world. In France, more than 5 million cases and over 102,000 deaths have been caused by the coronavirus outbreak, according to the latest statistics.
But that hasn’t been the only crisis many French winemakers have had to deal with this year. Earlier this month, one of the worst frosts in decades affected many parts of France, threatening to wipe out this year’s crop just as the young grapes were starting to bloom on the vine.
To help save this year’s harvest from the frost, some winemakers spent all night in the fields keeping the vines warm with candles and fires in small barrels. Even so, many winemakers have reported losing a significant amount of this year’s harvest due to the severe frost.
Let me add I sincerely hope the rest of this year goes smoothly for winemakers in France and that life returns to normal for all of us as soon as possible wherever you happen to be reading this article.
Cheers !
MAISON JOSEPH DROUHIN
(Beaune, France)
Questions answered by Frederic Drouhin, President of the Executive Board, Maison Joseph Drouhin in France’s Burgundy region.
What was the last year like for your winery?
We have been amazed by the resilience of our partners around the world and customers in France. Because of the closure of the restaurants most of them quickly tried to set up options to keep their business alive. We have seen a switch of our sales from the on trade to the off trade, either with chains or independent retailers. We have been surprised by the fact that customers purchased more expensive wines than entry level appellations. At the winery level we had to adapt with the very strict sanitary regulations to allow our employees to work in the safest conditions possible and I would like to thank them for their very good professional attitude witch allowed us to be able to labelled and shipped wines around the world.
Thinking back I believe customers worldwide purchased brands they knew and trusted. They did not really explore new wines.
Is the Coronavirus pandemic still affecting your winery?
We are still implementing the sanitary conditions. Some of our employees, especially in the administration, work from home, but obviously at the winery or in the vineyards this is not possible. It takes longer to process orders but we still manage to produce. We are seeing some markets reopening and we are confident that the activity will quickly improve and that customers will be in a mood to live again, enjoy life, and drink good wines.
Can your winery export wines to the United States right now?
Following the tax suspension we saw an increase of orders from our importer and its wholesalers. It came at a time where the US has a higher proportion of its population with the vaccination which allowed restaurants to reopen. Unfortunately containers and boats are not available to ship the wines to the US. It takes longer and it is more expensive.
Has your winery had to delay any parts of the wine making process recently due to the Coronavirus?
The vineyards or the wine maturing in cask do not care about Coronavirus. We still have to do the work and manage both so again everything was a question of anticipation, discussion with our employees to set up program to allow them to work in the safest conditions possible.
Has the Coronavirus affected how you are dealing with this year’s grapes just starting to grow in the fields?
It’s a little early to tell especially following the very severe frost episode. I am not sure we will have grown vineyards to take care and to pick this fall.
How do you think the 2020 vintage turned out?
2020 is a good vintage both for whites and reds. It is a really small crop for the reds but normal for the whites. The wines have an exquisite aromatic expression and despite the warm weather, a good balance and complexity.
How is this year’s growing season going so far?
Can we talk about 2022 instead … ?
(Read more about Maison Joseph Drouhin in France’s Burgundy region, including more about Maison Jopseph Drouhin’s wines from Meursault and Chambolle-Musigny.)
DOMAINE ROGER SABON
(Chateauneuf-Du-Pape, France)
Questions answered by Didier Negron, head winemaker at Domaine Roger Sabon in France’s Rhone region.
What was the last year like for your winery?
Regarding our work in the vineyard and in the cellars, we were not too affected by this health crisis. Some adaptations were necessary but as it is most often a work of isolated people and in the open air it could be done without too many problems.
The impact of the health crisis was more marked on commercial activity, with certain markets at a standstill or in slow motion.
Is the Coronavirus pandemic still affecting your winery?
For a company of our size, with modest volumes sold and many different markets, commercial activity has become satisfactory again, but the consequences of the pandemic are more indirect with increases in certain dry materials: cardboard boxes or logistical problems with a shortage of container.
Can your winery export wines to the United States right now?
Exports to the United States are slowly picking up, on this market the health aspect is combined, but also the political dimension with taxes on French wines. The context was not favorable, but we have very good partners in this market and we remain optimistic for the future even if the logistics aspect may disrupt this recovery.
Has your winery had to delay any parts of the wine making process recently due to the Coronavirus?
With our winery size, the health crisis did not affect our winemaking activity, again we had to adapt in particular for the harvest which is essentially done by hand, luckily in the open air, additional stress and particular attention to the health of our employees.
Has the Coronavirus affected how you are dealing with this year’s grapes just starting to grow in the fields?
The pruning of the vines being completed, the new season starts with almost normal mechanical soil tillage
How do you think the 2020 vintage turned out?
In the complicated health context, qualitatively the 2020 vintage is very interesting but I’m afraid that this vintage will be remembered for other reasons ...
How is this year’s growing season going so far?
in certain circumstances you say to yourself nothing worse can happen to me ... well if !!
Start of the catastrophic 2021 campaign with an episode of generalized freezing in France. The week preceding heat records to give way to severe frosts throughout the territory.
In view of the events, we cannot complain too much because we have lost 15 to 20% on Châteauneuf du Pape which remains moderate in the context, moreover we were spared on Roquemaure where our entry level is located.
Despite everything we remain optimistic and combative because we have the chance to do a job that fascinates us and better days will soon be here with the return of conviviality and sharing.
(Read more about Domaine Roger Sabon and France’s Chateauneuf-Du-Pape wine region.)
CLOS MIREILLE (DOMAINES OTT)
(La Londe-les-Maures, France)
Questions answered by Jean-Francois Ott, co-director of Clos Mireille (Domaines Ott) near St. Tropez in France’s Provence region.
What was the last year like for your winery?
We have started the year with a very nice 2019 vintage... Unfortunately, we had the corona virus crisis in March. We were very disappointed and a bit worry at the beginning but quickly we found new solutions and I have to tell you that 2020 was a finally a pretty good year for sales and our production team was great
Is the Coronavirus pandemic still affecting your winery?
Of course, it does but we stay safe and we struggle to get rid of this virus and see restaurants re-opening. (one day!!)
Can your winery export wines to the United States right now?
Yes. We sent the first bottles few weeks ago. The situation is still very difficult but the demand is high and the main problem is the shipping due to the lack of maritime container.
Has your winery had to delay any parts of the wine making process recently due to the Coronavirus?
No. We modified our organization and we keep working safe.
Has the Coronavirus affected how you are dealing with this year’s grapes just starting to grow in the fields?
Our oustside job has never really been modify. We are outside and the fields are large and the distance between 2 lanes is 2 meters so it works.The main problem has been Wednesday night because we had frost on both Chateau de Selle and Clos Mireille. We pruned late to delay the start of vegetation but despite everything we have damages mainly on grenache and withe grapes. Hopefully, it should restart but we will know exactly the imapct in about a week. To tell you the truth, we didn’t really need that.
How do you think the 2020 vintage turned out?
2020 is in line of 2019. Beside the frost on Chateau de Selle (already in 2020!) the climate was pretty nice with rain during winter a dry spring and sunny summer. At the end, the quality of the grapes was very nice and the balance of the juice two.The quality of 2020 vintage is really nice, well balanced between fruit taste, acidity and sharp taste. Hopefully we can bring it to restaurants.
How is this year’s growing season going so far?
Again, the season was pretty nice even we were waiting for rain. We had only 180mm since the end of 2020 harvests compare to 400mm on a normal year. Last week we had frost but compare to some other regions and even some places in Provence, I think we are lucky because we made the choice to delay the prunning. This week-end we had rain (almost 50mm), so it is getting better. So far, even if it is not easy i am confident and as you know, everything is played between May and July. We are going to be careful around the flowering and we will make the best of this vintage.
(Read more about Domaines Ott and France’s Provence wine region.)
Wine Press by Ken Ross appears on Masslive.com every Monday and in The Republican’s weekend section every Thursday.
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April 27, 2021 at 01:02AM
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