2001 harvest report – from Jean-Michel Cazes at Ch Lynch Bages

This morning, the title of Didier Ters daily column in the Sud-Ouest newspaper perfectly sums up everybody's overall feeling.

The title is : 'THANK YOU GOD'

Indeed, thanks to the magnificent weather that we have had since last Monday, our second week of harvesting has taken place under ideal conditions. Since yesterday evening the secateurs have been laid down to rest, the cook has received the traditional bouquet, and the kitchen will be closed after the final Monday evening meal.

Last week we were worried about a possible increase in the 'pressure' of the botrytis, favoured by the damp and hot weather. There was a risk of grey rot, which could have rapidly developed in the vineyard, leading to a more difficult harvest. But the weekend of the 6th and 7th October, and particularly the Sunday 7th, a beautiful day, changed the situation. After a short period of rain during the night from Sunday through to Monday, we experienced a whole week of dry and sunny days. The southerly wind brought us heat during the day, but the nights remained cool. Under these conditions the small spots of botrytis observed at the end of the first week were unable to evolve, the 'pressure', as the technicians say, disappeared and the harvesting conditions were perfect.

The glorious weather also favoured the stability of the harvesting teams. The rate of rotation was low, less than 10% of the workforce. Our harvesters worked well, with the harvest being accomplished in just 12 days, instead of the 13 that were planned. We have decided to pay everybody this 13th day. In addition to this, everyone who was present daily throughout the harvest will receive an extra day's wages as a 'consistency' bonus. These measures are of course welcome and constitute an encouragement for everybody to come back next year.

As for the merlots last week, the cabernet sauvignons have shown a richness in sugar highly superior to average levels. With the first maceration, the extraction of colour has been rapid. The fermenting juices are highly perfumed, ruby-coloured, with vivid shades due to the high malic acidity which was already noted last week.

During the first phase of maceration, the increase of the habitual parameters, that is the rate of anthocyanes and IPT (tannin index), is a little slower than last year. The figures however appear to be continually increasing at the end of the vinification, more notably than usual. We can predict a final concentration slightly below that of last year, which, it's true, was quite exceptional.

The yield seen is down by about 10% on that of 2000, and this also confirms the observations that we made during the first week.

The fermentations are continuing without any difficulty. The macerations will last for around 3 weeks, the first running-offs are planned for the beginning to the middle of next week. The decision for the end of the maceration will be taken individually for each vat, in terms of its evolution and the impressions given with tastings. We are looking, as ever, for a maximum of fruit, having in mind to keep at bay the bitterness and astringency which could be caused by pushing the macerations too far, or by poorly controlling the macerations with regards to temperature.

A special word should be said regarding the harvesting in the Sauternes region. The information we are receiving is very promising. The weekend of the 6th and 7th followed by the change in weather conditions have created perfect conditions for a glorious harvest, not seen since 1990, both in terms of quality and quantity. The grapes were perfectly ripe and the botrytisation, which was widespread following the rain at the end of September and the beginning of October, ceased to evolve, and accentuated the concentration of the grapes, which continued throughout the week. After the 2000 harvest which was, unlike all other regions of Bordeaux, most disappointing for the Sauternes wines, this difficult region has at last, in 2001, achieved its 'harvest of the century'. It's certainly their turn ...

The kitchen is an essential element of our harvesting system. Our courageous team of cooks was split into two, with the second team taking over from the first half way through the harvesting, last Sunday. Both teams worked under the guidance of Chef Maïté Bernard, and prepared over 3000 meals, the quality of which were enjoyed by us all. My favourite dish stays, once again, along with the classic lamb stew, the beef and carrot casserole. For the sauce Maïté traditionally uses old bottles of Lynch Bages, coming from slightly weaker vintages, for which tasting has become more unrewarding with time. Using them in the kitchen therefore gives remarkable results. This year we used an old stock of our of 1972 Lynch Bages, from which 60 magnums were sacrificed for the preparation of the sauce of this famous casserole, made twice, for both Sundays during the harvesting.

Next Friday we will gather together all of the personnel from our properties for a large end-of-harvest meal.

It is still very early, but who can resist the temptation to predict the character and quality of the harvest?

All of the oenologues in the region seem to be in agreement that this vintage is 'classic', rich and built to last, with serious tannins.

Where will the 2001 be placed in the range of excellent wines produced in Bordeaux over the last 20 years? After a large exchange of views over an early morning coffee, with Daniel Llose, our technical director, Jean-Paul Polaert, in charge of Lynch-Bages, and Stephen Carrier, the young cellar master who replaced Guy Bergey, now retired, at the beginning of this year, a consensus is starting to emerge : we rank the new 2001 vintage a little below the four great vintages of the last 20 years, which are, in our opinion, the 1982, 1989, 1990 and 2000. Its character is similar to the 1986, 1988 or 1998 vintages. Its intrinsic quality could also be compared with those of the 1996, 1999 and 1985, even if the structure and the style of these years are a little different.

This 2001 is about to begin its journey, which will take it first, in a few days or weeks time, into the barrels. It will be racked a number of times throughout the length of 2002, and bottled around the month of June 2003. Our clients will receive it throughout the winter of 2003/2004, and it will then be drunk for a long time to come. The wine lovers of tomorrow will no doubt remember that this 2001 harvest was contemporary of dramatic events. I simply hope that the day that these bottles will be opened and drunk, our children will be able to evoke the tragic events of September and October 2001 placing themselves strictly on the historical plan .... A sad page of the history of our world today.

This morning, the title of Didier Ters daily column in the Sud-Ouest newspaper perfectly sums up everybody's overall feeling.

The title is : 'THANK YOU GOD'

Indeed, thanks to the magnificent weather that we have had since last Monday, our second week of harvesting has taken place under ideal conditions. Since yesterday evening the secateurs have been laid down to rest, the cook has received the traditional bouquet, and the kitchen will be closed after the final Monday evening meal.

Last week we were worried about a possible increase in the 'pressure' of the botrytis, favoured by the damp and hot weather. There was a risk of grey rot, which could have rapidly developed in the vineyard, leading to a more difficult harvest. But the weekend of the 6th and 7th October, and particularly the Sunday 7th, a beautiful day, changed the situation. After a short period of rain during the night from Sunday through to Monday, we experienced a whole week of dry and sunny days. The southerly wind brought us heat during the day, but the nights remained cool. Under these conditions the small spots of botrytis observed at the end of the first week were unable to evolve, the 'pressure', as the technicians say, disappeared and the harvesting conditions were perfect.

The glorious weather also favoured the stability of the harvesting teams. The rate of rotation was low, less than 10% of the workforce. Our harvesters worked well, with the harvest being accomplished in just 12 days, instead of the 13 that were planned. We have decided to pay everybody this 13th day. In addition to this, everyone who was present daily throughout the harvest will receive an extra day's wages as a 'consistency' bonus. These measures are of course welcome and constitute an encouragement for everybody to come back next year.

As for the merlots last week, the cabernet sauvignons have shown a richness in sugar highly superior to average levels. With the first maceration, the extraction of colour has been rapid. The fermenting juices are highly perfumed, ruby-coloured, with vivid shades due to the high malic acidity which was already noted last week.

During the first phase of maceration, the increase of the habitual parameters, that is the rate of anthocyanes and IPT (tannin index), is a little slower than last year. The figures however appear to be continually increasing at the end of the vinification, more notably than usual. We can predict a final concentration slightly below that of last year, which, it's true, was quite exceptional.

The yield seen is down by about 10% on that of 2000, and this also confirms the observations that we made during the first week.

The fermentations are continuing without any difficulty. The macerations will last for around 3 weeks, the first running-offs are planned for the beginning to the middle of next week. The decision for the end of the maceration will be taken individually for each vat, in terms of its evolution and the impressions given with tastings. We are looking, as ever, for a maximum of fruit, having in mind to keep at bay the bitterness and astringency which could be caused by pushing the macerations too far, or by poorly controlling the macerations with regards to temperature.

A special word should be said regarding the harvesting in the Sauternes region. The information we are receiving is very promising. The weekend of the 6th and 7th followed by the change in weather conditions have created perfect conditions for a glorious harvest, not seen since 1990, both in terms of quality and quantity. The grapes were perfectly ripe and the botrytisation, which was widespread following the rain at the end of September and the beginning of October, ceased to evolve, and accentuated the concentration of the grapes, which continued throughout the week. After the 2000 harvest which was, unlike all other regions of Bordeaux, most disappointing for the Sauternes wines, this difficult region has at last, in 2001, achieved its 'harvest of the century'. It's certainly their turn ...

The kitchen is an essential element of our harvesting system. Our courageous team of cooks was split into two, with the second team taking over from the first half way through the harvesting, last Sunday. Both teams worked under the guidance of Chef Maïté Bernard, and prepared over 3000 meals, the quality of which were enjoyed by us all. My favourite dish stays, once again, along with the classic lamb stew, the beef and carrot casserole. For the sauce Maïté traditionally uses old bottles of Lynch Bages, coming from slightly weaker vintages, for which tasting has become more unrewarding with time. Using them in the kitchen therefore gives remarkable results. This year we used an old stock of our of 1972 Lynch Bages, from which 60 magnums were sacrificed for the preparation of the sauce of this famous casserole, made twice, for both Sundays during the harvesting.

Next Friday we will gather together all of the personnel from our properties for a large end-of-harvest meal.

It is still very early, but who can resist the temptation to predict the character and quality of the harvest?

All of the oenologues in the region seem to be in agreement that this vintage is 'classic', rich and built to last, with serious tannins.

Where will the 2001 be placed in the range of excellent wines produced in Bordeaux over the last 20 years? After a large exchange of views over an early morning coffee, with Daniel Llose, our technical director, Jean-Paul Polaert, in charge of Lynch-Bages, and Stephen Carrier, the young cellar master who replaced Guy Bergey, now retired, at the beginning of this year, a consensus is starting to emerge : we rank the new 2001 vintage a little below the four great vintages of the last 20 years, which are, in our opinion, the 1982, 1989, 1990 and 2000. Its character is similar to the 1986, 1988 or 1998 vintages. Its intrinsic quality could also be compared with those of the 1996, 1999 and 1985, even if the structure and the style of these years are a little different.

This 2001 is about to begin its journey, which will take it first, in a few days or weeks time, into the barrels. It will be racked a number of times throughout the length of 2002, and bottled around the month of June 2003. Our clients will receive it throughout the winter of 2003/2004, and it will then be drunk for a long time to come. The wine lovers of tomorrow will no doubt remember that this 2001 harvest was contemporary of dramatic events. I simply hope that the day that these bottles will be opened and drunk, our children will be able to evoke the tragic events of September and October 2001 placing themselves strictly on the historical plan .... A sad page of the history of our world today.

This morning, the title of Didier Ters daily column in the Sud-Ouest newspaper perfectly sums up everybody's overall feeling.

The title is : 'THANK YOU GOD'

Indeed, thanks to the magnificent weather that we have had since last Monday, our second week of harvesting has taken place under ideal conditions. Since yesterday evening the secateurs have been laid down to rest, the cook has received the traditional bouquet, and the kitchen will be closed after the final Monday evening meal.

Last week we were worried about a possible increase in the 'pressure' of the botrytis, favoured by the damp and hot weather. There was a risk of grey rot, which could have rapidly developed in the vineyard, leading to a more difficult harvest. But the weekend of the 6th and 7th October, and particularly the Sunday 7th, a beautiful day, changed the situation. After a short period of rain during the night from Sunday through to Monday, we experienced a whole week of dry and sunny days. The southerly wind brought us heat during the day, but the nights remained cool. Under these conditions the small spots of botrytis observed at the end of the first week were unable to evolve, the 'pressure', as the technicians say, disappeared and the harvesting conditions were perfect.

The glorious weather also favoured the stability of the harvesting teams. The rate of rotation was low, less than 10% of the workforce. Our harvesters worked well, with the harvest being accomplished in just 12 days, instead of the 13 that were planned. We have decided to pay everybody this 13th day. In addition to this, everyone who was present daily throughout the harvest will receive an extra day's wages as a 'consistency' bonus. These measures are of course welcome and constitute an encouragement for everybody to come back next year.

As for the merlots last week, the cabernet sauvignons have shown a richness in sugar highly superior to average levels. With the first maceration, the extraction of colour has been rapid. The fermenting juices are highly perfumed, ruby-coloured, with vivid shades due to the high malic acidity which was already noted last week.

During the first phase of maceration, the increase of the habitual parameters, that is the rate of anthocyanes and IPT (tannin index), is a little slower than last year. The figures however appear to be continually increasing at the end of the vinification, more notably than usual. We can predict a final concentration slightly below that of last year, which, it's true, was quite exceptional.

The yield seen is down by about 10% on that of 2000, and this also confirms the observations that we made during the first week.

The fermentations are continuing without any difficulty. The macerations will last for around 3 weeks, the first running-offs are planned for the beginning to the middle of next week. The decision for the end of the maceration will be taken individually for each vat, in terms of its evolution and the impressions given with tastings. We are looking, as ever, for a maximum of fruit, having in mind to keep at bay the bitterness and astringency which could be caused by pushing the macerations too far, or by poorly controlling the macerations with regards to temperature.

A special word should be said regarding the harvesting in the Sauternes region. The information we are receiving is very promising. The weekend of the 6th and 7th followed by the change in weather conditions have created perfect conditions for a glorious harvest, not seen since 1990, both in terms of quality and quantity. The grapes were perfectly ripe and the botrytisation, which was widespread following the rain at the end of September and the beginning of October, ceased to evolve, and accentuated the concentration of the grapes, which continued throughout the week. After the 2000 harvest which was, unlike all other regions of Bordeaux, most disappointing for the Sauternes wines, this difficult region has at last, in 2001, achieved its 'harvest of the century'. It's certainly their turn ...

The kitchen is an essential element of our harvesting system. Our courageous team of cooks was split into two, with the second team taking over from the first half way through the harvesting, last Sunday. Both teams worked under the guidance of Chef Maïté Bernard, and prepared over 3000 meals, the quality of which were enjoyed by us all. My favourite dish stays, once again, along with the classic lamb stew, the beef and carrot casserole. For the sauce Maïté traditionally uses old bottles of Lynch Bages, coming from slightly weaker vintages, for which tasting has become more unrewarding with time. Using them in the kitchen therefore gives remarkable results. This year we used an old stock of our of 1972 Lynch Bages, from which 60 magnums were sacrificed for the preparation of the sauce of this famous casserole, made twice, for both Sundays during the harvesting.

Next Friday we will gather together all of the personnel from our properties for a large end-of-harvest meal.

It is still very early, but who can resist the temptation to predict the character and quality of the harvest?

All of the oenologues in the region seem to be in agreement that this vintage is 'classic', rich and built to last, with serious tannins.

Where will the 2001 be placed in the range of excellent wines produced in Bordeaux over the last 20 years? After a large exchange of views over an early morning coffee, with Daniel Llose, our technical director, Jean-Paul Polaert, in charge of Lynch-Bages, and Stephen Carrier, the young cellar master who replaced Guy Bergey, now retired, at the beginning of this year, a consensus is starting to emerge : we rank the new 2001 vintage a little below the four great vintages of the last 20 years, which are, in our opinion, the 1982, 1989, 1990 and 2000. Its character is similar to the 1986, 1988 or 1998 vintages. Its intrinsic quality could also be compared with those of the 1996, 1999 and 1985, even if the structure and the style of these years are a little different.

This 2001 is about to begin its journey, which will take it first, in a few days or weeks time, into the barrels. It will be racked a number of times throughout the length of 2002, and bottled around the month of June 2003. Our clients will receive it throughout the winter of 2003/2004, and it will then be drunk for a long time to come. The wine lovers of tomorrow will no doubt remember that this 2001 harvest was contemporary of dramatic events. I simply hope that the day that these bottles will be opened and drunk, our children will be able to evoke the tragic events of September and October 2001 placing themselves strictly on the historical plan .... A sad page of the history of our world today.