An enticing view on the 2014 vintage in Burgundy

While we all turn to the decisive wine writers, definitive vintage charts, and to winegrowers themselves in looking for wine guidance, we ultimately judge a vintage by our own experience. To taste it is to know it and with this in mind we travel to Burgundy each spring to make our own evaluations. We are thrilled to report that following tastings from barrel last February and finished wines in Beaune and Chablis in February, we are convinced that 2014 promises to be a lovely year for the Côte d’Or and Chablis alike!

Representing a wide spectrum of Chablisienne and Burgundian growers, The Wine Company since 1985 has visited these winegrowers eye-to-eye and glass-in-hand to check the proof that’s in the pudding. With decades of sampling both barrels and freshly bottled wines under our belts, we offer you our views of the 2014 vintage both below and in the video of Wil Bailey, Portfolio Director here at The Wine Company.

Arguably the most telling bellwether remains the annual vintage tasting hosted by Bouchard Père & Fils representing the Côte d’Or and Domaine William Fève for Chablis. For what better criterion could there be to gauge any given year than these two domaines that each possess the widest array of the greatest terroirs in each region? Between our tastings and their reports, 2014 will go down as “splendid…for wines worth keeping” marked by the “harmony and purity” we yearn to find from these gifted terroirs.

FROM OUR EXPERIENCE
At The Wine Company

2014 is a classically great vintage in an old school sense in that these wines have a freshness and an elegance and if you like “historically classic Burgundies” I think a great vintage.”

-WIL BAILEY

Learn how the year and it’s weather shaped 2014 and hear
Wil’s take on the reds versus whites in our full report here:

 

FROM THE COTE D’OR
2014 was a splendid spring for wines worth keeping

Spring proved to be summery while summer was roughly autumnal. The very mild temperatures of the first six months favored the exceptionally early awakening of vegetation and flowering. The month of June, both dry and windy, sadly ended with a raging hailstorm, localized to Côte de Beaune and which unavoidably reduced the yields. Then rainfalls resumed and revived the physiological activity which had been blocked by drought. The weather became fresh and preserved the excellent sanitary state of the grapes. By the beginning of September the maturation was ideally completed under an azure sky. This is how red wines reveal an intense color, a very perfumed nose of fruit, a dense and balanced palate. The whites show their full potential with very expressive bouquet, balance enhanced by an admirable purity and great precision.”

-Bouchard Père & Fils

 

FROM CHABLIS
2014 is a year of harmony and purity

The very mild winter was followed by stages of frost, spread over from the end of March to the beginning of May, during which the negative temperatures were countered thanks to water spraying. The flowering was homogeneous and concentrated on a fortnight with sunshine and heat. As for the rainfalls, after being very abundant in February, they became so scarce that they over halved on the second quarter. In July and August contrariwise the meteorology became gloomy, cool and very wet. Luckily a glorious weather followed by the end of August. In September, the Indian summer went on and was accompanied by North wind. Therefore the grapes reached an optimum maturity along with perfect balance, great freshness, magnificent purity and precision.”

– Domaine William Fèvre

Fèvre 2014s land April/May and the Bouchard land in June so be sure to follow up with your favorite retailers and restaurateurs to stock up on those you like best