The vintages follow one another but are not alike in Provence.
After a generous 2018 vintage (thanks to rain) but in a more delicate state of health, 2019 seems opposed for the moment. In fact, spring was marked by an unusual freshness in the region resulting in lower cell multiplication in the berries during their growth phase. A long period of drought followed, accompanied by an intense heat wave on June 28, limiting the size of the berries and juice yield as the final ripening approached. This very dry and hot summer period also delayed maturation and 2019 is around 1 week behind the previous vintage.
We know that nature can be cruel at times (like this brief episode of hail on the Coteaux Varois in mid-August) but also generous. While fears multiplied at harvest’s dawn, marked by a historical water deficit leading to fears of low juice yield and more heterogeneous maturities. The temperature began to drop in early September with cooler nights restarting the ripening process. Finally, a generous rain on September 10 (between 30 and 50mm generalized on all Provence) followed by a moderate mistral the following days revives the true qualitative potential of this vintage 2019, especially since the grapes were spared this year by diseases.
