by Rebecca Gibb – The French grape harvest is predicted to exceed 47 million hectolitres (hl) this year – an increase of 6% compared to 2010. According to figures published by the French ministry of agriculture and fishing, the nation’s vineyards will bear 47.9m hl of fruit, an increase on last year’s small crop.
The estimate includes 23m hl of geographically-delimited appellation wines (AOP), and 13.6m hl of wines classified as IGP, the category of wines formerly known as vin de pays.
However, the ministry admitted there was still time for the crop size to be reduced, due to poor weather in the run up to the harvest and disease outbreaks.
Its report warned, ‘Fungal attacks, are under control for the moment but could be affected in the coming weeks if the humid weather continues. ‘
Despite grubbing up measures in the Languedoc-Roussillon leading to a 4% reduction in the region’s vineyard area, the potential crop is expected to increase by more than 1m hl to 13.1m hl. www.decanter.com
Die Forschungsanstalt Geisenheim, die Hochschule RheinMain und viele weitere Institutionen auf dem Campus Geisenheim öffnen für zwei Tage die Tore für Besucher.
Informationen erhalten Sie gerne vorab über das Internet: www.open-campus.de blog.campus-geisenheim.de
3./4. September 2011
Sigi Hiss – Die Ernte mittels Vollernter wird ab dem Jahrgang 2011, bei den folgenden Grand Cru Monopolagen, nicht mehr erlaubt sein:
La Romanée, La Grande Rue, Romanée-Conti, La Tâche, Clos de Tart
by Rebecca Gibb – The 2011 grape harvest is scheduled for an early start in France but will not be as premature as first expected.
Christian Seely, head of AXA Millésimes, which owns Pauillac estate Pichon Longueville-Baron estimates the Bordeaux red harvest will now be in the early part of September. ‘A month ago we thought it might be two weeks early. May and June was alarmingly hot and dry. Over the past few weeks we have had some cooler weather and some rain and that’s why we can put the date back a bit to one week early,’ he told decanter.com
With the 2012 Olympics less than a year away, and in the vinous version of the Olympics, the Decanter World Wine Awards, Spain has topped the medals table, with a haul of 828 medals.
Spain is followed by Australia on 714, and South Africa on 573.
But medal tables are never that simple. It’s all about gold to get you to the top of the tree and just like their domination of the Olympic pool, Australia sits in the No. 1 spot with 40 golds and trophies won.
Not far behind with 36 golds/trophies comes South Africa with Argentina making it on to the rostrum on 27 golds.
Champagne and Spain are the first old world countries appearing on the golds and trophies list, sitting in joint fifth with a respectable 23 golds each.