Millésime 2023

2023 CENTRE-LOIRE VINTAGE REPORT: A WINEGROWER’S VINTAGE

After a bountiful and qualitative 2022, 2023 was hard work and challenging for winegrowers. ‘2023 is a typical winegrower’s vintage,’ says François Dal from Sicavac, the
technical arm of the BIVC. ‘Those who did a thorough job in the vineyard got their just rewards with high yields, optimal maturity and perfectly balanced juices.’

Weather conditions for the year

The winter was very cold and wet. Temperatures started to rise in February, earlier than usual and spring was dry, putting stress on the water tables. Budburst took place mid-April. Temperatures rose again at the end of April and the wet weather returned with a vengeance. This encouraged vine growth but created the perfect conditions for fungal
diseases, which winegrowers had to deal with promptly and efficiently. 

On a more positive note, late spring was almost frost-free compared to previous years. A successful flowering followed, promising high yields. Unfortunately, hot and humid weather with the accompanying risk of mildew returned at the end of June, putting winegrowers to the test yet again. 

The summer wasn’t great but a sudden burst of hot weather towards the end of the growing season gave a welcome boost to the maturity of the grapes just before the harvest.

Harvest

The harvest started in early September . Grapes were healthy and mature with slightly lower sugar contents in white grapes than in previous years. Yields are high. The juices are very clean and pure with impressive balance. 

The red grapes reached phenolic maturity later than the whites, rewarding those growers who waited a bit longer to start picking.