Every week, our oenological laboratory sends us statistics on grape juice analyses during harvest across the vineyards they monitor

Here is the comparison for the Sauvignon grape variety, covering potential alcohol content, total acidity and pH, over the last 4 years on the same date (respectively 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019). We can see just how much vintages differ from one another. The winegrower seeks balance: enough alcohol, but not too much; relatively low pH levels (ideally below 3.3 for whites), but total acidity that is not too high (typically at 5, there is a risk of harvesting fruit that is not fully ripe). It is therefore essential to harvest on the right date to achieve good balance, knowing that potential alcohol increases over the days, pH rises, and acidity drops. Where it gets tricky is that not all plots behave in the same way. Water stress, for example, can halt ripening. Another factor to take into account is rain, which can cause berries to split and rot to develop. In such cases, there is rarely any debate: you have to go and pick. This forms the basis of our daily discussions to decide whether or not to harvest a plot. We will never make a perfect decision, but we always try to make the least bad one.