Earlier harvests

Harvests have started (and in some cases ended) across France, in many cases earlier than usual (although it seems like every other harvest is now early). Many of our growers were worried about early budding and fruit-set, especially in the Savoie. In Champagne, July was punctuated by rains, although Aurélien (Champagne Laherte) says that the dilution was minimal. It’s too early to tell what the wines will be like, of course, but harvests are similar to the sustain pedal on a piano or vibrato on a violin – they capture and alter the essence of the vintage, eventually becoming an echo of that year’s sun, rain, wind and vineyard choices.