2000 appeared to be the best year for some time in Chablis and the Mâconnais, two regions which enjoyed good climatic conditions at all the important moments. The wines were ripe and concentrated. The Côte de Beaune whites were less regular, varying from grower to grower which of 1999 and 2000 might be preferred.

Unlike 1999 it was better not to pick too early as the grapes were not always fully physiologically ripe despite good sugar readings. There was a very pure quality to the fruit though, and a noticeable length of flavour – without massive weight.

Although, analytically, acidity levels are close to those of 1999 the perception of the wines on the palate is that they seem to be a little less fat with a more pronounced minerality; they are perhaps a little more classically fine and elegant. Certainly, in the hands of the top growers, the 2000 whites proved to be exceptional.

White Burgundy 2000 - The Weather
2000 was an excellent growing season for Burgundy. For the second year in a row a potentially huge crop survived the dangers of spring frost and came through flowering successfully. The vineyard cycle was again precocious leading to an early harvest, with picking starting in the Côte de Beaune as early as 11th September.

Flowering took place early and fairly successfully; some grapes were lost to coulure but most growers regarded this as a wholly beneficial piece of crop-thinning saving them the trouble of having to reduce the yield subsequently by `green-harvesting'.

Poor weather in July was a concern and meant that the red grapes were in a slightly fragile state coming into September. It was a fairly wet summer in the Côte Chalonnaise and Côte de Beaune, but better conditions seemed to prevail in the Maconnais, the Côte de Nuits and the Chablis area.

This divergence was exacerbated by a hideous storm on 12^th September which deposited significant quantities of water and some hail on the Côte Chalonnaise and the southern part of the Côte de Beaune. It remained hot and humid which meant that the more or less ripe red grapes were liable to explode into rot – so almost everything had to be picked in a hurry.

The white grapes, whose skins had remained thick and healthy, ripened nicely throughout Burgundy. Although a large crop set, growers frequently commented on the comparative thickness of the skins and lack of juice within the grapes.