Michelin ranks wine estates

Michelin ranks restaurants around the world - and charges regions handsomely for the privilege. 

It has also started rating hotels - posing questions about the qualifications and the experience of its un-named judges. 

And now the Michelin guides are going further into the rankings business with the launch of Michel Grape, a "new distinction spotlighting wine estates and producers across different regions of the world".

Michelin says: With this new distinction, we provide wine lovers with a trusted benchmark."

The ratings system, launched in Burgundy before rolling out worldwide, covers three classifications.

Three Michelin grapes will be awarded to exceptional producers. Whatever the vintage, wine lovers can turn to the estate’s creations with complete confidence.

Two Michelin grapes will signify excellent producers who stand out as exceptional within their peer group and region for both quality and consistency.

One Michelin grapes will recognise very good producers who craft wines of character and style, especially in the best vintages.

There were no real surprises when the top names were revealed.

Those earning Three Michelin Grapes were Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Domaine Leroy, Domaine d’Auvenay, Cécile Tremblay, Dugat-Py, Roumier, Coche-Dury, Jean-Marc & Thomas Bouley and Hubert Lamy.

Explore a selection of gourmet packages in Burgundy

Beaune is a delightful small market town in Burgundy, the de facto wine capital of the region and a delightful spot to taste some local wines and enjoy local dishes like jambon persille, boeuf Bourguignon and ouefs en muerette.

My favourite address is the atmospheric Hotel Le Cep, which has just launched a new range of experiences in and around the charming historic town.

Perhaps enjoy one or two nights for two with a free upgrade, a romantic welcome in your room and breakfast for two. Maybe combine with an experience in the hotel's Spa & Holistic Centre with access to the H2O area (sauna, steam room, sensory shower) and a 45-minute massage for two.

And then add something you don't normally find in Burgundy - a meal for two at the LunchBox, which serves vegetarian Indian cuisine.

Over the Valentine's Day holiday period (from February 12-16) this package is available from
€676 for two people in a 1er Cru room.

Or maybe opt for a Wine Tourism & Cultural Package starting from €773. 

This includes a night in a 1er Cru room, breakfast for two, ad Immersive “Great Terroirs” wine tasting for two people, tickets for two people to the Cité des Climats et Vins de Bourgogne, and a Bouchard Aîné & Fils Tour for two people.

There are also packages including dinner in the on-site Loiseau des Vignes restaurant.

See https://hotel-cep-beaune.experience-unique.com/ for full details. 

Good news for Chablis lovers

There is good news for lovers of Chablis wines after a positive 2025 harvest with volumes up.

Despite challenging weather, growers harvested healthy fruit, and the resulting wines combine freshness, balance, and confident ageing potential," the Bourgogne Wine Board Press Office reported today.

"With an estimated 300,000 hectolitres - slightly below recent 5- and 10‑year averages - Chablis returns to volumes more closely aligned with market needs after the sharply reduced 2024 harvest."

The winter of 2024-25 unfolded without major extremes, despite a few episodes of frost.

"What once felt unusual has now become almost standard, with Chablis increasingly moving toward consistently early vintages," the BIVB reported.

A cooler May briefly slowed this pace, but flowering accelerated quickly - sometimes abruptly - around May 26.

The rest of the season was punctuated by two significant heatwaves: one at the end of June, and another from August 8 to 18, with temperatures nearing 40°C.

These conditions naturally concentrated the berries, producing smaller fruit with thicker skins, a source of both aromatic intensity and structural depth.

Heavy but irregular mid‑August rain provided welcome relief after weeks of drought, restarting ripening while requiring increased vigilance to maintain quality."

So what can lovers of this unique style of chardonnay expect?

"The 2025 whites show clarity, balance, and expressive aromatics.

"Two stylistic expressions are emerging. One is a fresh, fruit-driven profile with notes of pear and peach, lively acidity, and crisp tension. The other is a rounder, fuller style marked by subtle exotic nuances, supported by even ripeness and a generous sense of amplitude."

Find all the info at www.chablis-wines.com

Michelin turns its beady eyes to wine

First it was restaurants. Then hotels. Now Michelin is turning its hand to rating wines. 

The Michelin Guide this week announced plans to introduce a three-tier ‘Grapes’ system to rate wine producers. 

Burgundy and Bordeaux (how very predictable) will be the first regions to be assessed in 2026. 

Michelin has unveiled a new global distinction for wine, expanding the Guide’s long-established expertise in gastronomy into vineyard assessments for the first time. 

The new system, called the Michelin Grapes, will award one, two or three Grapes to wine estates, alongside a “Selected” category for producers chosen for regular review. 

Described as "a new benchmark for wine lovers", Michelin says the move offers wine enthusiasts a trusted reference point for discovering producers worldwide. 

The Grapes will evaluate estates using five criteria: agronomy, technical mastery, identity, balance and consistency across vintages. All assessments will be carried out by a team of professional wine inspectors employed by the Michelin Group. 

Gwendal Poullennec, International Director for the Michelin Guide, told reporters: “After having oriented wine-lovers towards the finest tables in more than 70 destinations and to the world’s most elegant hotels, the Michelin Guide is delighted to open a new chapter with the world of wine. 

"This new reference is designed for both the curious amateur and the most ardent expert.” 

He added that the distinction rewards “the people who are building the most demanding vineyards around the world.” 

Three Grapes will recognise “exceptional producers” whose wines can be relied upon “whatever the vintage”. Two Grapes will go to “excellent producers” that stand out within their peer group and region, while one Grape highlights “very good producers” crafting wines of character, particularly in strong vintages. 

The “Selected” category identifies dependable producers chosen for continued review. 

The inspectors are described as "seasoned professionals", including former sommeliers, specialised critics and production experts, selected for their ability to apply the methodology “with rigour and integrity”. 

To be honest I couldn't give a damn what these instant experts say. They will need to earn respect over the several years.   

Image: Ben Donath, Scop.io

How to learn more about the wines of Burgundy - for free

So you would like to know more about the stunning wines of Burgundy?

The web series The Tasting Tips (Les Astuces Dégust in French) is back!

The Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB) is pursuing its mission to make the world of wine more accessible, with six new episodes in English launching October 8 across social media platforms.

Leading sommelier Maxime Dubois, an official Bourgogne Wine Ambassador, hosts the new season.

Filmed in both French and English, it aims to speak to a curious, connected generation eager to discover Bourgogne wines "in a fresh, engaging way".

The goal is to talk about wine without pretension, naturally, passionately, and with a touch of lightness.

The six episodes are designed to appeal to younger audiences, but hope to offer something for everyone to enjoy and learn along the way.

The series will look at the region’s four signature grape varieties: pinot noir, chardonnay, aligoté, and gamay along with food-and-wine pairings and a guide to making sense of Bourgogne wine labels.

Designed for Instagram and Facebook, The Tasting Tips will also be available on the Bourgogne Wines YouTube channel and LinkedIn account. Later, each episode will be featured on a dedicated page of www.bourgogne-wines.com.

In the meantime, you can revisit the Season 1 on YouTube.

Fancy snapping up some wine from Halliday’s personal cellar?

Fancy sampling some bottles direct from Australian wine guru James Halliday's personal cellar.

The renowned Australian critic, author and commentator is selling the last of his impressive wine cellar through an online auction with fine wine destination Langtons.

The James Halliday's Private Collection online auction is now open on the Langtons website and closes at 9pm AEST on Sunday, May 25.

This final auction will see a 100 lots of Halliday’s personal passion - French producer Domaine Armand Rousseau - up for sale, with each bottle personally signed by the wine critic.

The collection includes a 1999 Clos des Ruchottes Monopole, Ruchottes-Chambertin, 1976 Clos de la Roche and 1990 Grand Cru Chambertin.

Halliday has confirmed this auction will be the last to clear out the final bottles in his cellar located in the Yarra Valley’s Coldstream Hills while he relocates to Sydney.

“Having long since sold the last of my DRCs, my Rousseaus are the best wines in my cellar, led - of course - by the Chambertins from top vintages. Clos de Beze is a worthy second, Clos de Jacques, the wine often offering outstanding value for money. Rousseau now fills the shoes left by the impossible-to-find DRCs,” says Halliday.

James Halliday AM is Australia’s most notable wine authority, with a career spanning over 30 years resulting in a cellar that is incomparable to any other in the country.

“James Halliday is undoubtedly the most important person in the Australian wine scene," says Michael Anderson, head of auctions and secondary market at Langtons.

Other highlights from the collection include va Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Nicolas Francois Billecart Brut from the exceptional 1996 vintage; a 1997 Dr Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling-Spatlese; and a 1980 Domaine Clape.

Closer to home, Halliday’s collection also includes a House of Arras E.J Carr Late Disgorged Methode Traditionelle 2000 Magnum from Tasmania; 1997 Bindi Block 5 Pinot Noir from the Macedon Ranges; and 1992 vintage Charles Melton Nine Popes Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre from the Barossa Valley.

Each bottle will come complete with a collectable sticker outlining its provenance. 

See https://www.langtons.com.au/james-halliday-private-collection.html

Burgundy wine producers target Australia

Wine producers from Bourgogne (Burgundy) are targeting Australian consumers, perhaps a wise move given the tariff madness going on in the US.

The Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB) has announced its return to the Australian market, introducing the concept of “Take A Closer Look” and inviting Australians to take a fresh look at the region’s iconic wines.

While high-end Burgundies can be frighteningly expensive, the campaign will aim to promote more affordable options, including wines from Chablis and the Macon region.

A three-year communications campaign will feature initiatives with trade professionals, media, and consumers, who will be able to explore what defines Bourgogne wines, offering a deeper connection to the region and its winemaking heritage.

Renowned for its exceptional wines, Burgundy is also home to a rich diversity of lesser-known appellations including Rully, Monthélie and Bouzeron.

Petit Chablis and Chablis will also be in the spotlight, with consumers invited to rediscover these already well-loved wines from a fresh perspective.

Austraiia is currently the 14th-largest market for Bourgogne wines by volume.

White wines are at the forefront of Bourgogne’s exports to Australia, representing 65% of all volumes exported to the market.

“There is growing interest in lesser-known appellations like Bourgogne AOC and Mâcon," says François Labet, President of the Bourgogne Wine Board.

"Notably, exports of the Mâcon appellation nearly tripled in 2023. The dynamic between Bourgogne and Australia is vibrant and evolving: the new campaign will definitely strengthen this.”

UK politicians splash taxpayer money on wines

Australian politicians have been under fire for taking flight upgrades and using posh Qantas lounges but in the UK politicians have been splashing out on wines for themselves and their guests.

The UK Government has spent £97,189 (that's around $190,000 Aussie dollars) restocking its wine cellars in the last two years, government hospitality figures show. 

News portal the drinks business reported that there are currently 31,090 bottles in stock, with an estimated market value of £3.8 million, the figures showed, 

The stats showed that the government cellar was topped up with £49,862 worth of wines during 2023-24, including 888 bottles of white Burgundy, following spending of £47,327 the previous year. 

Over the two-year period, 1,920 bottles of English sparkling wine were purchased, 1,260 bottles of white reception wine and 480 bottles of red reception wine, as well as 60 bottles of gin. 

The average cost per bottle of wine purchased rose from £17.28 in 2022-23 to £24.66 in 2023-24.

Meanwhile, the hospitality wine cellar report also showed that the number of bottles drunk in 2023 to 2024 rose by 4% to 2,813 bottles compared to 2,713 bottles of wines and spirits used in 2022 to 2023, and 1,303 in 2021-22.

The cellar, which was set up in 1922 and is located in the basement of Lancaster House in Whitehall (above), is used to provide guests of the government, both domestic and international, with wines “of appropriate quality at reasonable cost”. 

A committee for the cellar, which comprises four MWs, also advises on wines – both those to be used at large-scale receptions, as well as fine wines that can be bought young and matured in the cellar.

Over the two-year period, 5,526 bottles of wine were drunk (100 less in 2023-2024 than in the previous year), of which around 65% (3,565) were English sparkling wines. 

Bordeaux was the most consumed wine, with 307 bottles of red Bordeaux consumed over the two-year period, followed by 215 bottles of red Burgundy, and 211 of white Burgundy. 

Individually, the top bottles in 2022-3 included a Pouilly-Fuisse les Vieilles Vignes 2007 ( maker identified), which clocked up the most bottles in 2022-23 (53), ahead of Bordeaux’s Chateau Rauzan-Segla 1994 (50).

Astutely-judged pinot noirs from a micro producer

Back in August 2005 I was contacted by Kevin Bell and Tricia Byrnes from a start-up wine business called Hurley Vineyard at Balnarring on the Mornington Peninsula.

I was writing a wine column for the Sun-Herald in Sydney at the time and they were looking for suggestions for possible outlets for their first vintage.

Five Way Cellars purchased three cases, I recall; their first Sydney order.

I didn't know it, but Kevin Bell was at that time a judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria. He was promoted to the Office of the Order of Australia in the 2024 King's Birthday Honours List. 

Byrnes was a distinguished legal practitioner, now a barrister and nationally accredited mediator at the Victorian Bar.

I thought then that their Burgundy-inspired pinot noir wines, made in minute quantities, were outstanding.

For two decades now I have been lucky enough to follow their vinous journey. And I'm pleased to report their 2022 vintage releases still charm and beguile.

The bad news is that the trio of 2022 releases has already sold out at cellar door. The good news is that some is still available in retail land. 

The 2022 releases are the Hurley Vineyard 2022 Lodestone Pinot Noir ($110), the Hurley Vineyard 2022 Hommage Pinot Noir ($110), and the Hurley Vineyard 2022 Garamond Pinot Noir ($130). 

No estate blend was released for this vintage but the three wines all reflect Bell and Byrnes' obsession attention to detail and quality. Quite how they find the time I do not know. 

In previous years my favourite has wavered between the Hommage and the Garamond, but this time around it was the super-smooth Lodestone that most took my fancy with its minerality and completeness. 

The velvety Hommage is tighter knit and potentially longer lived, while the Garamond is the most complex of the trio, a little bit of a show off in its youth. 

All three wines are definitely Burgundian accented, however, with intensity matched by purity and balance.  

The new releases are the 22nd vintage from vines that are 24 years old (with the exception of a  small part of Lodestone that is 18 years old). 251 cases were made of each of the Hommage and Lodestone and 277 dozen of the Garamond.

"Vintage 2022 was outstanding in quality and small in quantity," Bell reports, which suggests speed might be crucial for would-be buyers.

For details see www.hurleyvineyard.com.au  

          

     

Meet the one-day cooking and wine classes that will cost you over $1850

So you are serious about food and wine - and want to learn from the best in the business. 

The Four Seasons George V in Paris has just launched four exclusive cooking and wine masterclasses for oenophiles and foodies looking to hone their culinary skills or deepen their knowledge and appreciation of wine. 

Suitable for all levels of ability, the masterclasses will take place one Sunday a month between January and April 2023.

Budding cooks and sommeliers will be accompanied to the magnificent dining room of Le Cinq for their experiences. 

Two hands-on cooking classes will be led by Christian Le Squer, the celebrated three Michelin-starred chef of Le Cinq, who will guide both budding and experienced cooks. 

Both classes start with a unique breakfast shared in the dining room of Le Cinq and end with an intimate lunch with the chef in the restaurant, privatised for the occasion. 

The January masterclass will celebrate Le Squer’s renowned signature dishes, including his famous ham, mushroom and truffle spaghetti. Guests will also learn how to prepare the chef’s gratinated onion, a twist on a traditional Parisian bistro favourite. 

The April masterclass will focus on Le Squer’s celebrated dishes combining Breton and Parisian influences. 

Wine lovers will have the opportunity to learn about some of the world’s finest wines with Eric Beaumard, director of Le Cinq Restaurant and one of the world's leading sommeliers. 

The February class will focus on wines from the Champagne region, sourced from small to medium-sized producers. 

The March class will take guests to Burgundy, sampling wines from both leading producers and small, family-run vineyards. Guests will learn about terroir, grape varieties and aromas, looking at how to define flavour and structure.

Coming in at €1200 per person, cooking and wine masterclasses must be booked in advance via e-mail at experience.paris@fourseasons.com. 

All you need to do now is get to Paris!

Burgundy bounces back with bumper 2022 harvest

There is finally some good news for lovers of fine Burgundy.

The 2022 Bourgogne harvest report has been released and “after three years of quality without quantity”, the 2022 yields are reported to be plentiful, making it easier for fans of pinot noir and chardonnay to source their favourite labels.

So a double whammy: high quality wines in big volumes.

Vins de Bourgogne (BIVB) says the vines stood up well despite extreme weather, from frost to heatwaves and drought. Like many areas of Europe the appellation was also short on water.

“The vines were able to make juice from almost no water at all: once the bunches formed, they enjoyed heavy rain in June and a few stormy showers in mid-August to produce abundant, aromatic, and balanced juice,” the report says.

the first grapes for still wines were harvested from August 20 on the Côte de Beaune, inconvenient timing for the national holiday month.

The last bunches were picked from the Côte de Nuits, the Hautes Côtes, and Chablis during the third week of September.

“Almost all the grapes had good sugar levels towards the end so it fell to the acidity content to determine when the grapes needed to be harvested," the report says.

"Yields were high for both white and red grapes, with crates filled with perfect bunches leading certain producers to vinify in whole bunches.

"The 2022 vintage encapsulates what Burgundy does best: generosity and promise!

"After three years of quality without quantity, with yields impacted by weather events, it is certainly welcome, taking some of the pressure off sales and allowing stocks to be built back up."

Beaune splashes out on wine tourism

Beaune, the wine capital of Burgundy, will soon have a new tourism juggernaut to pull in further visitors to the region.

The impressive-looking Cité des Climats et vins de Bourgogne is due to open in spring next year.

The UNESCO World Heritage site is following a sustainable approach to tourism.

The city of Beaune has sought to develop sustainable tourism with the construction of an environmentally friendly building, at the heart of the Parc de la Chartreuse.

The building, standing 24 metres high, is an example of eco-friendly construction, the builders say.

There has been use of bio-sourced materials, with hemp concrete utilised for the construction of wooden-framed façades.

This natural plant-based insulation is made in France and supplied in bulk.

The Cité will be the tallest building in France that incorporates this natural insulation technique.

The building is designed for renewable energy and system efficiency, with the installation of photovoltaic panels and an energy recovery heat pump.

The Cité des Climats et vins de Bourgogne will be the flagship of a commercial centre including complementary services (luxury hotel, entertainment centre, shopping, etc.).

The visitor experience will extend across 1,100m2. It will be arranged in sequences and discovery areas around the theme of the terroir, wines and climats of the Burgundy wine region.

Beaune is located between Lyon and Dijon and is one of the key wine centres in France.

Investors still willing to splash out on fine wines

The secondary fine wine market appears “immune” from economic turmoil across the globe, fine wine sales platform Liv-ex has reported. 

A new quarterly report from Liv-ex shows that “2022 has picked up where 2021 left off". 

It follows a very strong performance on the secondary fine wine market last year, which saw an unbroken 18-month run of gains in both the Liv-ex Fine Wine 100 and Fine Wine 1000, Drinks Business reported.

The Liv-ex 100 and the Liv-ex 1000 indices were up by 1.9% and 3.5% respectively in the first three months of 2022. 

There were particularly impressive gains in prices for for Burgundy and Champagne in the Liv-ex 1000 (which is the broadest measure of the secondary market). Those regions prices were up 14.6% and 9.6% respectively.

A star performer among the Liv-ex 1000’s component wines over the last three months was Domaine Leflaive 2012. 

The Puligny-Montrachet-based wine estate (above) has seen prices rise 76% in just three months. 

The report comes as a surprise given economic challenges associated with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with rising inflation and interest rates, soaring prices in crude oil and other commodities and the rising cost of living.

“As an alternative asset it retains certain advantages over mainstream financials in difficult times, especially as it is both a diminishing asset and one where time invested in holding on to stock is often necessary and generally encouraged," the report said. "Thus, its volatility is extremely low.” 

From hairdresser to Burgundy winemaking star

The wine industry is a treasure trove of inspirational stories.

Few, however, can match that of Jane Eyre, the former Melbourne hairdresser who became a winemaking superstar in Burgundy.

I caught up with Jane last week in Tasmania, where she was putting together her 2022 Tasmanian pinot blend with Jim and Daisy Chatto at Chatto Wines in the Huon Valley.

Jane makes a Tasmanian wine each year, while Jim Chatto travels to Beaune to put together a Burgundy wine each year it is possible.

I also tasted Jane's 2021 Tasmanian pinot noir ($65ish), one of the silkiest, prettiest, most elegant expressions of Tasmania you could hope to find. 

The 2021 was put together via Zoom with Jane tasting barrel samples from her home in Beaune before advising Chatto on the blend and winemaking details.

"Jim sent over eight different components to me in Burgundy and we put a blend together for both both 20 and 21 from the other side of the world."  

It is has been an amazing rise from a Gippsland high school drop out to a Melbourne hair salon to the toast of  Burgundy and being dubbed "the princess of pinot". 

A decade after starting her own winery in Beaune, Eyre was last year named négociant of the year by influential wine trade magazine La Revue du Vin de France. She was the first Australian - and first woman - to be recognised. 

"I never, ever thought I would get to this level," says Eyre, who has been so busy making wine from different regions across Australia as well as Burgundy that she has yet to get around to creating her own website. 

Eyre is a négociant winemaker, who buys grapes direct from growers, making around 1400 cases a year.

She developed an interest in wine, and ended up doing vintage in Burgundy at Domaine Chevrot near Santenay in 1998 after a chance conversation with a client who was married to wine writer, Jeremy Oliver.

Back in Melbourne, having caught the serious wine bug, Eyre did a wine science degree at Charles Sturt University and got a job at The Prince Wine Store in St Kilda, a venue which has launched a number of wine careers.

"That's where I learnt about wine," she says. 

She worked vintages with the likes of Cullen in the Margaret River, and Felton Road and Ata Rangi in New Zealand, as well as a stint with Ernie Loosen of Dr Loosen fame in Germany.

In 2004, she moved to Beaune, a beautiful and historic town that is the heart of the Burgundy wine industry. "If you love pinot, you got to Burgundy - and that's what I did," she says. 

She worked for leading vigneron Dominique Lafon, and later as assistant winemaker to Chris Newman at Domaine Newman.

A decade ago, with a loan from a friend and support from Newman and wine industry star Benjamin Leroux, she started her own wine business.

Maison Jane Eyre shares Lafon's winemaking equipment, at Chateau de Bligny Les Beaune, just a few minutes from her house. 

"While I don't have my own vineyards, I'm lucky enough to have access to the same parcels from the same growers every year, which enables me to be consistent about what I produce," Eyre says. "I know where all my fruit comes from and the various characteristics."  

Friend and collaborator Chatto describes her wines as "unique, and delicious". She works not only with Chatto in Australia but also with William Downie in Victoria - and has expanded operations in France to also making wines in Beaujolais. 

She's is still a hands-on winemaker, getting her hands dirty in the Chatto cellar.    

Today, he tony quantities of high-end wines are distributed by Liberty Wines in London and the Bentley Wine Company in Australia. Contact them for retail outlets or send Jane an Instagram message. 

Or wangle an invite to the Australian Embassy in Paris - a regular customer.      

Want to study wine sustainability in Burgundy?

Keen on studying sustainability in wine and gastronomy? Want to spend some time in arguably the most famous wine region in the world drinking superb chardonnays and pinots noir?

A new Master of Science course has been launched by the Burgundy School of Wine & Spirits Business, Decanter reports.

Prospective students from around the world can apply for the new MSc course in sustainable wine tourism and gastronomy, beginning in the 2022 academic year.

Based in Dijon, close to the Côte d’Or vineyards, the institution is part of the Burgundy School of Business (BSB).

It said the MSc in sustainable wine tourism and gastronomy will be taught in English and reflects "strong demand from companies for managers capable of accompanying them in their transition to sustainable development".

Wine tourism is still viewed as a major growth area for wineries and wine regions over the long-term, despite the economic impact of Covid-related travel restrictions in the past two years.

BSB’s wine school said gastronomy is also a major driver of travel.

"The outlook in these areas is very promising, as many wineries, restaurateurs and accommodation providers are increasingly adopting a CSR [corporate social responsibility] strategy, respectful of the environment, their employees and society."

It said its new course is open to any French or international student with an existing Bachelor’s degree.

Laurence Cogan-Marie, professor of marketing at BSB since 2009, will run the sustainable wine tourism and gastronomy MSc.

‘The aim is to introduce students to the best sustainable practices in wine tourism and gastronomy," she said. "They will also carry out concrete case studies."

Research released by the booking.com website in 2021 found that 83% of travellers thought sustainable travel was vital.

The faculty of the School of Wine & Spirits Business is made up of both academic experts and industry professionals, including a Master of Wine, Steve Charters. BSB also invites dozens of guest speakers from the world of wines and spirits in France and abroad to share their experiences with students.

See https://global.bsb-education.com/bsbs-programmes/

Crisis looms for lovers of Burgundy wines

Wine lovers should prepare for shortages of their favourite Burgundies with yields down dramatically in the 2021 vintage.

The latest figures released by the Burgundy wine marketing bureau, the BIVB, point to a crop of around 900 to 950,000 hectolitres of Burgundy grapes in 2021. 

That volume equates to “about 50 % of a normal year”, and “2/3 of the average in recent years”, Vitisphere reports.

The survey of winegrowers paints an “extremely varied picture across the wine region,” said Frédéric Drouhin, chairman of the BIVB.

“Generally speaking, the white wines from the Côte d'Or and the Côte Chalonnaise were particularly badly affected," he said. 

"The reds fared slightly better. In terms of yields, the range this vintage is between 30 and 31 hl/ha. “In the Côte de Nuits, it’s not bad. But in Chablis, the crop has been halved.”

The frosts that occurred in in April are the major cause of the shortfall, but there was also hail in some areas. 

The figures are higher than the top-end range of post-harvest estimates, but they are still particularly concerning for the industry. 

“You have to revert back to 1985 to find volumes below 1 million hectolitres in Burgundy, and 1981 to find lower yields,” said Drouhin.

The situation is compounded by a succession of “small” vintages in the region over the past 10 years, with only 2017 and 2018 considered “normal”. 

Consequently, inventories are dwindling. 

"With a pretty low 2021 crop, we will have to manage markets smartly,” said Drouhin.

Meet a unique pinot noir from Tasmania

Tasmanian winemaker Max Marriott stole an idea from a Burgundy wine icon to produce a unique limited release.

Marriott, from Anim Wines, is about to release a wine made during Hobart's lockdown in April last year. 

His baby is called Hobart 27; which references the 27 individuals involved in the snipping of the grapes. 

The four-week 2020 lockdown of Hobart coincided with the grape harvest and saw Marriott drop off buckets of grapes to the doorsteps of willing participants, largely from the hospitality industry, who were instructed to snip individual berries of pinot noir off bunches of grapes.

“Lalou Bize-Leroy, from the famed vineyards of Burgundy, one of the most powerful women in wine and a fastidious winegrower, first pioneered this method – at least to my knowledge – and it’s a process I’ve replicated with colleagues when I was working in Oregon,” says Marriott.

“When lockdown occurred, and we were fortunate enough to continue with our harvest and vintage, I began to think of ways we could incorporate the community into wine. I guess it was equal parts reaching out, motivating, keeping busy, empathy, excitement, intrigue and ambition.”

A positive community response saw buckets of grapes left on doorsteps over a series of nights and then saw the buckets of snipped grapes collected: with enough fruit to make one barrel of wine.

“There are various thoughts behind the practice of snipping whole berries with the pedicel (short stems) intact,” explains Marriott. “The promotion of bunch character without the green tannin of the stem, unruptured whole berries undergoing intracellular fermentation, carbonic maceration and unique ferment kinetics, specific extraction of tannin and so forth.”

The front label is watermarked with the Tasmanian waratah, a flower that overlooks Hobart on the slopes of kunanyi/Mount Wellington. A gold flourish references the extremely rare yellow waratah, but also maps the addresses of all who had buckets of grapes delivered to them, with Hobart the centrepoint. 

The wine will be released on July 1 with just 400 bottles available. $270.

See www.animwine.com/shop or call 0400 203 865.