Champagne | 2003 vintage
In 2003, compared to the other wine regions in France, the Champagne region suffered the most from the extreme weather conditions. While Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Rhône didn't do too badly at all, with quite a few very good cuvées, the Champagne vineyards only managed to produce a very average vintage, and the famous houses actually refrained from producing that year. A justifiable decision: following harmful spells of frost in April and hail in June, which devastated thousands of hectares, especially in Chardonnay, the scorching heat continued night and day, preventing one of the conditions essential in order to make a good Champagne: a drop in temperature during the night. Results: excessive ripeness and a low level of acidity, which affected the wine's freshness and finesse, and also a considerably reduced harvest.
