was 2006 a good year for champagne

A difficult year for Champagne got underway with a mild winter followed by a cool early spring.... Good conditions then resumed for an October harvest of tense and acidic but good quality fruit, ideal for ageing. A vintage year for most. 2012:... 2006: Drink/Past peak: Cold winter, hot & dry summer.

Full Answer

What makes a great vintage year for Champagne?

Unlike Bordeaux or Burgundy, however, it’s arguably more of a challenge to identify a great vintage year across the region because of the many variables at play. Champagne relies on two grape varieties, for example: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. A good year for one does not necessarily mean a good year for the other.

Will 2007 be a good year for champagne growers?

Growers who held their nerve and picked later because of uneven ripeness in the vineyard are likely to be rewarded with better quality and maturity. 2007 is the first year under Champagne’s newly installed maximum yield of 15,500kg/ha, but most growers will not have attained that level.

Does a good year mean a good champagne?

A good year for one does not necessarily mean a good year for the other. Then there are the vast differences between Champagne houses – each has its own individual slant on its winemaking process. Take the revered Salon, for example.

Was 2012 the year par excellence for Champagne?

The reverse of the Champagne 2012 vintage, a Chardonnay year par excellence; Ay Pinot Noir was also successful. One of the latest harvests since 1988, caused by delayed flowering into July. A warm rainless September saved the day. The reverse of 2012, a Chardonnay year par excellence; Ay Pinot Noir was also successful.

What happened to Champagne in 2017?

When did Chardonnay flower?

What is a moderate yield wine?

When did Champagne grapes bloom?

May and June were warm and flowering took place early and quickly – by 9 June. June was one of the hottest ever recorded in Champagne and saw some hail storms but some vineyards were spared hail damage. July and August remained very hot and dry causing rise in sugar and drop in grape acidity.

What caused the ripening of Chardonnay in 2004?

The drought in 2003 followed by low rainfall in the winter and spring of 2004 meant low ground-water levels throughout the Champagne area that promoted ripening and helped reduce fungal infection, limited to a few cases of powdery mildew among some of the Chardonnay plantings.

What grapes are ripe in September?

Grapes attained optimal physiological maturity and thanks to cool September nights retained a good balance between ripeness and acidity. The Chardonnays combine richness with freshness, and both Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier were picked with minimal botrytis – any affected grapes were sorted out.

Which wine is the least affected by the chaotic weather and uneven ripening?

Chardonnay was the least affected by the chaotic weather and uneven ripening and is the most consistent in terms of ripeness. The maturity of both Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir is more varied as the varieties suffered from attacks of mildew and botrytis in several spots.

What happened to the vines in April?

However, the end of April brought with it some frost, which damaged a number of vineyards, reducing the potential crop. Temperatures picked up in May and the sun shone for much of the month, but a cold snap affected the flowering.

What type of summer produces a very high quality harvest of slightly above average size?

A dry summer with long bursts of sunshine produced a very high quality harvest of slightly above average size.

Why did my grape vines set so quickly in 2005?

Fruit set quickly due to the extremely fine weather. Without being an especially hot summer in general, July 2005 was quite warm but wet, while August was dry but cooler than usual. These conditions helped steady healthy vine development and then a very hot period from the 26th of August led to acelerated ripening.

What years were Champagne in the 90s?

The latter half of the decade saw some very good results in Champagne, with the 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999 are scoring solidly in the 90s with Robert Parker – the 1996 is perhaps the most legendary of this period, with a dry summer with long bursts of sunshine producing a vintage of outstanding quality. The 1990 was highly regarded.

What years were the 80s champagne?

Like the 1990s, the ‘80s was also a chequered decade. However, followers of Robert Parker can’t really go wrong with his assessments of this period’s Champagnes, as the only vintages he tasted ended up scoring highly with the critic. These include the 1982, 1985, 1988 and 1989, all of which were awarded 95 points, save the 1982 which scored 94.

How many points does Parker's 1993 have?

The intervening years proved something of a disappointment, however – Parker didn’t even taste the 1991, 1992 or 1994, and gave the 1993 a relatively average 88 points. These harvests were hit by late rains, meaning any usable grapes were generally kept for non-vintage wines.

Is the 2008 Champagne vintage good?

The 2008 is arguably the standout so far since the turn of the century however, with Parker awarding it 99 points. Its success was something of a surprise to all, since the year opened with widespread mildew meaning expectations were low. The 2000 and 2002 have also been very well received.

What happened to Champagne in 2017?

Severe frosts in the third week of April then eliminated between 20% and 70% of the potential crop, depending on sub-region (the Côte des Bars was worst affected). After that, the weather was exceptionally hot and sunny up to the end of July, breaking many of the region’s heat records. Storms and hail then caused further losses at the beginning of August, and harvest eventually got underway in late August, though the official date was September 4th (which many, with hindsight, considered too late). It was interrupted by heavy rain, and botrytis outbreaks meant that the grapes had to be carefully sorted. The quality of some Chardonnays was fair to good, but 2017 produced poor quality Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, and the paucity of grapes means that Champagne houses risk running down their reserves at a time of record sales.

When did Chardonnay flower?

A long winter and cool spring meant that the Chardonnay didn’t flower until mid-June and the two Pinots in mid-July: a very late date, and potentially disastrous. There was hail damage in the Marne at the end of July. Overall, though, July and August were record-breakingly hot and sunny, saving the vintage and meaning that the early September rain was welcome. Good conditions then resumed for an October harvest of tense and acidic but good quality fruit, ideal for ageing. A vintage year for most.

What is a moderate yield wine?

Moderate yields; wines of moderate concentration & acidity. Overall sugar-acid ratio dropped to level of 1990s from higher maturities of 2000s. Declared vintage by many récoltants-manipulants (individual growers).

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2006

• Weather Conditions
  The 2006 vintage was distinguished by an unusually dry and sunny June and July – promoting excellent flowering and good, steady ripening – followed by a rainy and humid August which threatened to obliterate the early-summer promise; growers suddenly feared mildew and botrytis…

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