La Chapelle Hermitage

The autumn of 2020 was not very wet, except in December, which helped to balance the water deficit. After a relatively mild winter, the spring was early and vegetation started to grow rapidly, 15 days ahead of schedule. However, vegetative development slowed down very quickly with the drop in temperature. Episodes of black frost were recorded during the nights of April 7 to 9 with temperatures between -1°C and -6°C. Spring was cool and rainfall was abundant in May. Flowering took place rapidly and in good conditions around June 7. The summer was also very wet with temperatures below normal.

Winter is regularly and alternatively swept by rainfalls and frost. Spring is wet and cold. The vineyard has some difficulties to start growing. The blooming happens with a two weeks delay. The yield has been cut by 30%. Finally, the heat is coming in July. Unfortunately, at the same time, we had some hailstorms on the vineyard in the southern part of the Crozes-Hermitage appellation. August is very sunny. Despite this fact, we start picking two weeks later than the average, until the 12th of October, just before the autumn rainfalls start.

After an autumn which was pretty wet – in particular with more than 30cm of snow in Tain l’Hermitage in December, the winter was cold and dry. Spring was atypical in the Northern Rhône Valley area with summer-like temperatures in the months of April and May. The return of the rainfalls comes in June to relieve the young vines which had begun to suffer from the drought. Thunderstorms blew in every 15 days from the month of September with a little hail at the end of August. The summer began rather coldly in July, warmed up in August and then finished hot in the beginning of September. The harvest began under a shining sun and concluded with dryness after a few rainfalls.

2006 was an almost perfect year for producing a great vintage in the Rhône Valley. With a cold, dry winter, ideal for the vines to rest, and a relatively wet, mild spring, the conditions were perfect for good bud-break and rapid growth of the young shoots. During the summer, drought alternated with milder periods and cool nights in August. These conditions favoured optimal ripening, silky tannins and a well-structured balance, with perfectly healthy grapes.