The grapes

After a rather early spring, the summer was more difficult: rain in July and August led to mildew which was quite serious in some areas. The vines had to be treated, and great care taken until the harvest. As we use organic methods we can only use what is known as the Bordeaux organic mixture against mildew. It pollutes less, but it is not as active as the chemical fungicides. This made the work in the vineyard much more demanding than usual.

This mild wet weather meant excessive growth and the vines had to be drastically thinned. But the results were grapes with a high concentration. This thinning also meant that air could circulate and prevent the development of other cryptogamous diseases like mildew or gray rot.

The rain did not prevent the grapes from reaching maximum maturity. The stony soil and subsoil of the Clos Saint Landelin with its natural drainage can be relied upon to produce wonders in a year like this,. The harvest began in early October. The grape pickers had to go over each plot two or three times to only take the ripe grapes each time. We finished harvesting around the 15th November.

The wines

The general characteristics of the top wines of the 1999 Alsace vintage are their class and structure. However, the wines that were made from a too abundant harvest are diluted and lack complexity. They will lose their greatness and become ordinary wines that are just easy to drink. The connoisseur needs to know how to choose! In the clay and limestone soil of the Clos Saint Landelin the wines from this year will retain their subtle elegance that characterizes this vineyard year after year.

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