Loire heading for earliest ever harvest

Published: 18 July, 2011

Winemakers in the Loire Valley are heading for a bumper harvest and one of the earliest ever recorded.

Winemakers in the Loire Valley are heading for a bumper harvest and one of the earliest ever recorded.

The year's weather patterns are pointing towards a record-breaking vintage, with accelerated ripening, dry conditions and higher than average temperatures.

A spokesman for Vins de Loire said: "Conditions during flowering were excellent; this started in the Muscadet area on May 15 and towards the end of May in the Touraine, a good three weeks earlier than average.

"Stormy spells in June were accompanied by rainfall - the perfect amount, in fact, to promote good fruit set. At this stage of veraison we are very optimistic about the condition of the vines and the health of the fruit itself.

He predicted that the hot, dry summer would yield very ripe fruit, "high in natural sugars, making rich, full-bodied wines". The hot weather will produce wines more typical of the south of France, and reminiscent of the 2003 vintage.

Picking is forecast to start in the third week of August in the Muscadet area and towards the end of August in the Nantes, Anjou, Touraine and Saumur areas, while Cabernet and Chenin Blanc are predicted to hold out until around September 10.

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