A Report on the 2023 Burgundy Vintage from Elden Selections
In Burgundy, the vintage of a wine is taken very seriously, because here the specifics of the land and weather can greatly affect the final product. Extreme weather conditions like excessive heat, rain, drought, or frost can cause issues and impact both the quality and quantity of the wine produced.
In our Bourgogne region, the wines are primarily single varietals. This means that each plot of land gives every vintage its unique personality and characteristics. Grape varieties grown here, such as Pinot Noir, are particularly sensitive to weather conditions that can affect acidity levels and, in turn, the taste of your wine.
Excessive sunlight, for example, can cause grapes to become raisins on the vine, resulting in bitter wines, sometimes referred to as 'flabby'. Conversely, a season that is too wet or cold can lead to unripe grapes that are susceptible to disease or rot. In the Chablis region to the north, hailstorms and frosts can be disastrous, which is why you might see small fires, candles, or oil burners lit overnight to maintain the temperature. It’s all a fine balance, which is what the producers of Burgundy excel at.
Here’s a look back at how the harvest turned out in 2023 and what the future might hold for the Burgundy 2023 vintage.
The Burgundy 2023 Vintage – from Dennis’s Notebook
"2023 in Burgundy, despite all of the heat, drought and flooding that happened to the north and south of us, came through relatively unscathed (with the exception of a few patches of hail damage in Meursault and the Chalonnaise).
In fact, we’ve seen absolutely beautiful grapes, both red and white, coming into wineries all over the region. And lots of them. 2023 looks to be a bumper crop, and a very promising one in terms of what the Burgundy 2023 vintage might be like.
I spent a lot of time walking in the vineyards in the weeks leading up to the harvest, and I tasted grapes that are sweet and juicy, full of spicy fruit, both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Even the skins and pips were ripening nicely, meaning that the level of phenolic maturity could be high. All of this points to a good volume of high quality juice.
This will be welcome news to the winemakers, who saw tiny harvests in 2019, 2020 and especially 2021. And while 2022 was a healthy crop, it has only just satisfied the demand for Burgundy wine that had not been available in the previous years.
2023 should start to fill the cellars again, and hopefully keep the rising prices at bay.
But for the moment, patience. We are waiting to hear what the producers say as the fermentations and macerations get going."
Other commentators have noted that the total volume produced in Burgundy for the 2023 vintage was 1.9m hectolitres, (which would equate to 253m bottles). That is an increase of nearly 30% when compared to average production volumes for the region, and is a rise of 9% on last year too. Many seasoned observers have drawn the link between these very large variations in production amounts, and climate change, which is something producers here are watching closely.
Although exports of Burgundy wine for both red and white wines have dropped, and red wine sales in France have been hit by changing drinking habits, the number one destination for Burgundy wine exports continues to be the USA, followed by the UK, Japan, Hong Kong, Switzerland and Canada.
The key to buying good vintage wine, as always, is to select producers who are recognized for their expertise in handling the variable qualities that each wine vintage can present. The producers listed on BurgundyWine.com are some of the most capable and price conscious in the industry, making them a great starting point. Click the link to see the Burgundy 2023 vintage wines from BurgundyWine.com.
Hospices de Nuits and a ‘Green Harvest’
So many grapes were produced in 2023 that at the vineyards which grow grapes for the famous Hospices de Nuits, they decided to do what is known as a ‘green vintage’. That’s where grapes are harvested very early in July, and then again in August. You don’t often see two of these early harvests in the same vintage, but it’s done in order to provide greater flavor concentration for the grapes that stay on the vine.
If you’re not familiar with what happens at the Hospices wine auctions, then allow us to explain a little. Wine is sold here "En Primeur”, meaning that wine is bought at auction by the barrel before bottling or aging, based on the expectations of its future characteristics (and therefore value). This practice is essentially a "futures market" for wine. It's not an easy task to do well because the wines offered are usually only a few weeks old, and many variables will determine how they turn out and age. Normally, our emotions and memories guide our wine purchases, but these auctions allow for both emotional and rational decision making...
The history of the Hospices de Nuits building itself and its tradition is fascinating. The hospital building was established in 1270 and initially served as a leper colony. During the Medieval Wars of Religion it was destroyed, but then rebuilt in its current location in the 1690s, which is when the winemaking Domaine was established. The auction events not only provide a great opportunity to buy wine and meet likeminded enthusiasts, but they are also important due to their charitable contributions.
But for burgundywine.com by Elden Selections, it serves a higher purpose – supporting local and international charities, as well as the John Hopkins Coronavirus Research Team. The amount of money raised for charity at the auctions is substantial; nearly €2m in 2021 was raised for the Institut Pasteur hospital.
If you've ever dreamed of taking part in a famous Hospices auction (at either the Hospices de Nuits or the Hospices de Beaune), then now you have the chance. Contact us today and become part of Burgundy tradition at the Domaine de Cromey, and let Elden Selections make your dream come true. To sample burgundy vintages from the Hospices de Beaune wines that Elden Selections offers, follow this link.
Sample the Burgundy 2023 Vintage at the Domaine de Cromey as Our Guest!
At our tasting facility located in Domaine de Cromey, we have transformed a sixteenth century former winemaking facility into a unique combination of a private members' club and a sports bar, with a touch of grandeur. This historic building was once the most prominent winemaking facility in the area, supplying wine to the Nobles who resided in Chateau de Cromey. Today, after centuries, the building is once again being used for winemaking and serves as our main tasting room. We take pride in seeing people enjoy wine in this historic setting after 400 years. While the original construction has been carefully preserved, we have also added modern updates to make it suitable for wine tasting and related activities. Why not experience the Burgundy 2023 vintage for yourself with us this year?
Head over to our Cromey Burgundy vacation blog here for recipes and day trip ideas, or to read our series of blogs about why you should visit Burgundy... Or to read interesting articles and How To guides, check out our BurgundyWine.com blog. And don’t forget that our Burgundy Wine Club is looking for new members right now – click here to join.