Merely mortal

tWines from Burgundy have been immortalized, and in high demand, since the conquest of Gaul by Caesar. With this cachet, pressure on the pinot noir and chardonnay vines to meet demand has always been a significant problem. Over the last three years, however, I have found it more and more difficult to purchase decent Burgundian red wines. I thought this was due to increased demand from Asian markets and well-heeled collectors. But upon further investigation, it became clear that demand outstripped production for a number of other factors.

While the vagaries of Mother Nature over the past decade have severely reduced the harvest with inclement weather, aging vines and disease have played a more significant part in the smaller harvests. Burgundian vines are, on average, 50 years old and this age will depress yields. Older vines are also more susceptible to disease—over 15 per cent of the vineyards in the region are currently affected by disease that will eventually kill most of the ailing vines. Unlike County wine growers (who tend to be more proactive in replanting diseased vines), Burgundians replace only obviously dead vines, which again minimizes their harvest. It has been suggested that the owners of some Grand or Premier Cru vineyards choose not to replant their vineyards because of the reduction of revenue over the initial four or five years until the vines begin to produce.

On top of the problem of aging vines, Burgundy has also experienced several years of severe weather. Severe hail has occurred no less than six times since the turn of the century, and local producers have turned to science in search of an answer. Apparently, generators that cause small particles of silver iodide to rise above the clouds can prevent the formation of hail. This can mitigate the adverse effects of hail by up to 50 per cent. Needless to say, the cost is substantial: around $15 a hectare, whether or not vines are planted.

As I have said many times, producing wine is not for the fainthearted.

THIS WEEK’S PICK
This week, I must draw your attention to the swanky new branding for recent wines from Casa Dea. Bottle content is, of course, always paramount. The new labelling simply makes the container match the wonderful wine within.

The Casa Dea 2015 Cabernet Franc Rosé is a winner—grab some for the upcoming Victoria Day weekend, which is predicted to be a super sunny weekend. Retailing for $15.95 a bottle, it is only available at the winery, located on Greer Road.