On the 3rd of July, Guy and I met up at Dubai International Airport before continuing our journey to France. Guy had flown from Melbourne, while I had travelled from South Africa. Over the next two weeks we would make our way through Burgundy, Champagne and the Northern Rhône, with viticulturists Marko Roux and Etienne Terblanche joining us the following day.
The purpose of the trip was clear. We wanted to spend time in the vineyards, study the soils and topography, observe viticulture in some of the world’s most renowned wine regions and, perhaps most importantly, see how growers are adapting to the increasingly frequent heat waves that have challenged European vineyards over the past few years.
Our first destination was Nuits-Saint-Georges.
After checking into our little apartment, we headed straight into the vineyards surrounding the town. It is one thing to look at vineyard maps and satellite imagery, but quite another to stand in the vineyards themselves. Seeing the subtle changes in slope, the soil profiles and the way each site is managed gives a completely different perspective. This is my first time in Burgundy.
Like most first-time visitors (speaking for myself here, Guy has worked here in 2024) to the Côte de Nuits, we stopped at the famous cross overlooking Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. It’s probably one of the most photographed spots in Burgundy and, admittedly, a bit of a tourist stop. Still, it’s hard not to appreciate the history that surrounds those vineyards.
From there, Guy gave William Kelley a call. William had previously been one of Guy’s employers, and we arranged to meet him in one of his parcels and he showed us around a bit. It is always nice to see the connections the wine industry holds. I could see Guy’s admiration for the work William has put into his vineyards and wines, and also the knowledge William was speaking with. We spent a few minutes chatting in the vineyard before leaving him to spend time with his family on this sunny Sunday.
We arrived in the middle of the third heatwave to hit the vineyards in France. I mean, it was hot! 36-39 degrees in Burgundy is no joke, and with hardy a leaf moving and quite a bit of humidity, it was quite a shock coming out of winter in the Southern Hemisphere!
Burgundy may be known as a cool-climate wine region, but there was nothing cool about the weather during our visit. It would become a recurring topic of conversation throughout the trip as we visited growers and discussed how vineyard management is changing in response to a warming climate.
That evening we found a local restaurant, enjoyed a few beers, had a good meal and watched some FIFA World Cup football before turning in for the night.
