The 2009
vintage in Alsace:
A vintage full of promise!
It was mid-October and the harvest
was already almost over, which proves not only how early it was
this year but, above all, the excellent conditions under which
picking took place!
The climatic highlights of the
year can be summarised as follows. 2009 was yet again a
precocious vintage. Although budburst on the vines was late, due to
severe cold weather during the spring, flowering took place earlier
than usual, in early June, thanks to a rapid rise in temperatures
during April and May, and went generally well, as did berry set.
This advance of two weeks compared to the normal season continued
despite a rather damp July. A very hot and very sunny August
ripened the grapes perfectly.
The Comité Régional
d'Experts des Vins d'Alsace (CRINAO) authorities decreed the
following starting dates for the 2009 vintage:
- For AOC Crémant d'Alsace: Monday 31 August.
- For AOC Alsace and for AOC Alsace Grand Cru: Monday 14
September for all classified vineyards except Kaefferkopf,
Bruderthal, Altenberg de Bergheim and Kanzlerberg.
- For the specific categories of late-harvest Vendanges Tardives
and Sélections de Grains Nobles: Monday 28 September.
September days were very warm but
the nights were much cooler, especially towards the end of the
month, enabling full ripeness to be achieved while preserving
essential aromas. The absence of any significant rainfall caused a
slowdown in maturity in certain vineyards with lighter soils, and
even isolated cases of hydraulic stress. The excellent condition of
all grape varieties was particularly noteworthy, and most growers
admit they have rarely seen that before! Consequently, although
harvesting was completed relatively quickly, it was done "à
la carte" and, with patience, it was possible to pick each parcel
at perfect maturity.
Once again the Crémants
d'Alsace were particularly successful. There was no problem of
coulure in 2009, so Muscats are crisp and fruit-driven. Sylvaners
are very quaffable. All Pinot varieties show great potential: Pinot
Blanc, Pinot Gris and particularly Pinot Noir, with ripe tannins
and deep colour. Gewurztraminers had very thick skins and are
therefore very aromatic (spicy). Riesling needs the longest period
of maturity, and so it took full advantage of the glorious Indian
summer. Exceptional climatic conditions in October allowed numerous
Vendanges Tardives, and even Sélections de Grains Nobles, to
be harvested.
The probable total volume of the
2009 vintage, all AOCs combined, should be close to 1,110,000 hl,
slightly down (by 2%) on the previous vintage. Stock levels are
currently stable year-on-year at 1,623,000 hl, and are therefore
perfectly in phase with market requirements.
From a commercial point of view,
sales in bottle of all AOCs combined, for the 12 months ending
August 2009, are globally stable. Sales are rising on the French
market (up 2.5%) but exports are down by 7%. Alsace wines are
riding out the crisis better than other regions, thanks to buoyant
sales in France and to a lesser dependence on the export markets
that have been hardest hit (the UK and the USA), but also thanks to
a fall in white wine production in some other French wine regions
in 2008.
Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins
d'Alsace
Colmar - October 2009
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