Wine's world

Unlike the permanent classifications of the Graves and Médoc, the Saint-Emilion wine classification is completely revised every 10 years, allowing the most qualitative wines to progress in the hierarchy.

While the next classification will be revealed in the autumn of 2022, Ausone and Cheval-Blanc have created a surprise by deciding not to submit an application.

Historically, these two growths have long stood alone at the top of the classification as Premiers Grands Crus Classés A, before being joined by Angélus and Pavie in the 2012 classification.

Their choice not to compete for the new classification follows the scoring criteria adopted by the INAO: while the quality of the wine remains essential, the primary criterion is now the reputation of the wine. Thus, more than a third of the final score depends on the estate's ability to receive visitors, the number of followers on social networks, occurrences in the written press...

The teams at Cheval-Blanc (owned by LVMH) and Ausone (owned by the Vauthier family) wish to free themselves from these criteria and concentrate only on the excellence of their wines.

This year we have included the white wines of Domaine Abbatucci, for us the best whites in Corsica and among the greatest in France.

Their main building housing their ageing cellar (thus the 2019 and 2020 vintages) unfortunately went up in smoke last Tuesday night.

The descent of polar air in the middle of last week swept across France and caused important destructions in vineyards and orchards.

More than the intensity of the cold, it is the extent (from the north to the south of France, including Corsica) and the duration (three consecutive mornings) that make this spring frost exceptional:

- on April 6: -5.0°C in Blois, -4.9°C in Chalon sur Saône, -4.8°C in Angers...

- on April 7: -5.4°C in Chalon sur Saône, -4.9°C in Tusson (Cognac), -3.2°C in Vendays (Médoc)...

- on April 8: -5.5°C in Prades (Hérault), -4.6°C in Castillon, -4.4°C in Mâcon, -4.2°C in Avignon...

The damage is certainly considerable, especially since the development of the vines had been accelerated by the summer heat of the last days of March (26.0°C in Paris on March 31).

The final results of these frosts - and of those in progress this week - will not be known before a fortnight when the buds will start growing again (or not?). But we already know that the Côte Rôtie appellation has been devastated with expected losses of -70% to -90%.