Fine wine news

The low yields of Burgundy 2010 wines could be one reason why they have turned out so well, Jancis Robinson has suggested.

Writing in her blog, the wine writer said that while the crop was reduced by hail and cold winter temperatures, the "main reason for relatively small volumes in 2010 was also the reason why the wines have turned out as well as they have".

She spoke to Jeremy Seysses of Domaine Dujac, who claimed that poor flowering means that Burgundy's vineyards are not plagued by viruses and the bunches are not too compacted.

Indeed, for many wine growers, the success of the vintage has been relatively unexpected. Eric Rousseau from Domaine Armand Rousseau told Ms Robinson that he only realised the wine was good after the malolactic fermentations, while others admitted that in the spring the grapes showed no indication of a good year.

Already a number of British wine merchants are making offers of 2010 Burgundies, suggesting that the wines will be making headlines in the coming months.

Posted by John Yates