The starting dates for the harvest of AOC Crémant d’Alsace has been decreed by the Authorities:
On Wednesday, August 22nd for grape varieties Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir
On Monday, August 27th for Chardonnay and Riesling
At Domaine SEILLY, the harvest of Crémant begins today on Thursday, August 30. We are harvesting 15 days earlier than last year! Harvest 2006 was quite striking with bad weather conditions during the crop, 2007 vintage is also surprising.
The month of April 2007 was very hot with summer temperature and low rain fall. This leaded to a 3 weeks earliness for the vegetation and the budburst. One consequence was a heterogeneous flowering. We could observe the same during veraison, it was visible to the naked eye on Pinot Noir and Gewurztraminer, with a difference of maturity on the berries of the same grape. In this context, the determination of the date of harvest is one of the most important point for this 2007 harvest: we have to pick the grapes quite early to avoid over ripening but not that much to avoid harvesting unripe berries that give greenish aromas to the wine.
Climatic conditions showing a deficit in comparison with seasonal normal explain this difference of maturity just before harvest. Indeed, we had 4 mitigated months, with a rainy summer. In July: deficit of pluviometry, temperature, sunshine with approximately 50% more rain than a normal year and a sunshine deficit of 20%. Meanwhile, around the 13rd of July, a fast increase of temperature leaded to some light scalding effects: pieces of grapes have been burned and dried. We expect a little lower yield but it will not damage the quality. Finally, the sanitary state of the crop is good.
