The manager of Ogier vineyard, one of the foremost negociants and producers of the most marketable wines in the southern Rhône such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Crozes-Hermitage, has said that the region’s 2016 harvest will be one of the best in years.
Edouard Guerin, speaking to the The DrinksBusiness.com, said the current year has been characterised by “lots of hot days and cool nights.”
“Late spring also saw a ton of wet weather with 22 millimetres of rain on 27 May and then there was a long drought all the way until 10 September where we had another deluge,” he added. “Some of the younger vines really suffered but for our old vines, the rain restarted everything and led to excellent ripening.”
Guerin noted that these conditions are perfect for supporting Grenache, the dominant varietal for Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
“It’s the perfect vintage for Grenache with lots of silky tannins and small concentrated berries. I think 2016 compares very favourably to the other warm vintages of 2010 and 1990.”
© 2016 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Peter Donnelly. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
