The 2008 harvest in Bordeaux started today with Chateau Carbonnieux in Pessac Leognan bringing in the first Sauvignon Blanc grapes, ten days later than last year.

Harvest dates all over the region are around two weeks behind usual, due to a lack of sunshine throughout the growing season. There is, however, generally less rot in the vineyards than last year, due to good weather in the last two weeks of August.

Pessac Leognan is traditionally the earliest appellation in the region to start the harvest. Carbonnieux’s Technical director Eric Perrin told decanter.com that yields are down on last year, due to uneven flowering and fruit set back in May.

‘The grapes are in very good health, with acidity levels of 5-5.5g/l, and potential alcohol around 12.7-12.8 – very similar to last year,’ he said.

Perrin expects to start harvesting Semillon grapes in 10 days, with the first of the reds – Merlot – not expected to come in until the end of September.

Written by Jane Anson in Bordeaux

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Jane Anson
Jane Anson

Jane Anson was Decanter’s Bordeaux correspondent until 2021 and has lived in the region since 2003. She writes a monthly wine column for Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post, and is the author of Bordeaux Legends: The 1855 First Growth Wines (also published in French as Elixirs). In addition, she has contributed to the Michelin guide to the Wine Regions of France and was the Bordeaux and Southwest France author of The Wine Opus and 1000 Great Wines That Won’t Cost a Fortune. An accredited wine teacher at the Bordeaux École du Vin, Anson holds a masters in publishing from University College London, and a tasting diploma from the Bordeaux faculty of oenology.

Roederer awards 2016: International Feature Writer of the Year