Graham Nutter, the owner of Ch St-Jacques d'Albas in the Minervois sends this rather depressing report.
Our Australian winemaking consultant, Richard Osborne, describes the 2012 harvest as the most difficult he has experienced in his 22 years in France. A combination of unusual and volatile weather conditions over the year led to harvest dates and fruit ripeness being variable to say the least. Rainfall was also sub par (some 525 mm, or 21 inches, versus an historic average of 650-700 mm), leading to hydric stress into the September/October harvest time. Cellar treatment was also more complicated than usual.
After an...