As you know, France was hit by two successive cold snaps, and the Jura in particular was not spared. The first episode was characterised by a black frost.
This event reminds us just how precarious our work can sometimes be, subject to the whims of Nature and its changes. We are, of course, fully aware of this.
Like many of our colleagues, we have seen severe damage to all our plots, particularly the Chardonnays.
In a two-step process, the snowfall on the night of 07 April quickly dashed our hopes and gave way to resignation. The initially protective blanket of snow turned out to be destructive when it melted in the morning at the same time as a sudden drop in temperature.
The following night, which was drier, we lit fires on the pickets, as a last hurrah as the coldest night was forecast (-4°C). We still need to be patient before we know how effective they are.
Over the last five years, our vineyards have been hit by frost three times (2017-2019-2021). One of the consequences of these excessively mild winters is that vegetative growth occurs earlier, making the vines more susceptible to spring frosts.
The recurrence of these episodes is forcing us to continue thinking about new methods of combating this scourge, such as later pruning to slow the onset of growth. Our nursery partners are also working on seedlings to delay earliness. This takes a lot of time.
Unfortunately, we still have a few anxious nights ahead as the Saints de Glace approach. However, all is not lost, and let's hope we don't have to suffer any more frosts in the meantime.
We'll be persevering with our resilience and self-sacrifice as we enjoy a few comforts.
We look forward to seeing you again,
Cédric & the estate team