The winter of 2006/2007 was rather mild and wet, aside from a snowy episode at the end of January (which left a blanket of 20-30cm of snow) and a few frosts. By springtime everything began to move quite fast; by the end of April the vine had already developed 7-8 leaves. The mild conditions, sunshine, and generous rain encouraged active vine growth and fruit set.
2007 is among the most early-ripening vintages ever observed in Burgundy. The summer was less ‘bright,’ and it took longer for the grapes to ripen, which delayed the ‘head start’ that was acquired during the beginning of the season. It rained quite a lot for the season, finally affecting the health of the vines and the grapes. Botrytis developed a little bit everywhere.
Green harvest allowed to eliminate a part of this, but the situation was still worrying.
Harvest began August 30th and finished on September 4th under fairly clement climatic conditions. There was, without a doubt, a heterogeneity among the grapes. We observed symptoms of wilting and withering, yet also grapes that still showed the pink reflects of immaturity. Sorting was absolutely crucial.
In the end, the wines from the 2007 vintage are fleshy and meaty, with a tannic structure that is probably a little more noticeable for the regional appellations, which have become rounder with age (especially those bottles opened after 2011).The optimum time to open a bottle of 2007 would be between 2011 and 2020.