Jasper opened with the stark reality that currently mature Burgundy is somewhat of a rarity in-country, stating that even when eating out, 2019 is about the best you can find at the moment on wine lists. All the wines that we tasted this evening are from either 2017 or 2018 current Vintages and are from 6 appellations. Both of these Vintages are considered ‘hot years’ and Jasper’s brief summary of the significant challenges facing producers in this region in the light of climate change have been brought sharply in to focus in the last 3 years - vines have been dying off on some of the more drought-prone Terroirs, healthy trees have died and even beehives have died due to the heat. The age-old debate of irrigation has been brought to the fore once again of course. Classic Burgundian rootstocks just aren't working any more in the context of the more extreme and prolonged droughts and hot weather. The more mature vines have deeper root systems and seem to have survived the recent droughty years of 2018 and 2019-20 however the very rapid/accelerating change in weather patterns and climate taking place here is understandably worrying growers.
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