The frost event that touched the vineyards on the morning of Wednesday, April 27 was of unprecedented magnitude.

Many parcels of the Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune and Hautes-Côtes were affected. Large sectors of Pinot Noir were damaged in the vineyards usually less exposed to frost.

Everything was gathered to promote damage: rain during the day and partly cloudy windless with high humidity dawn. The lowest temperatures recorded locally very early morning exceeded -2 ° C.

This white frost on the buds was short but the morning sunshine strongly accentuated the damage (burn by magnifying effect).

We have waited and taken the time before evaluating after that night of April 27.

Now, two weeks after the disaster, we can already realise and see the real damage in our vineyard.

We are lucky on the sector of Gevrey-Chambertin which has been broadly preserved.

Appellations villages Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey-Saint-Denis and Chambolle-Musigny were spared, only a few buds have fallen due to the   around 10% loss.

Parcels of Bonnes- Mares, Latricières-Chambertin and Lavaut Saint Jacques

were most affected due to the cold air current that characterizes these three areas - about 30% to 50% average loss.

Our other Grands Crus in Gevrey-Chambertin: Chambertin Clos-de-Beze and Chapelle-Chambertin were spared - despite a frost estimated at 20% - we can observe beautiful output of grapes following the spring weather at the beginning of May.

However, plots on Clos de Vougeot - Quartier Marei Haut and Plante L'Abbé - and also Musigny were devastated by frost and we are approaching a loss of around 90%.

Today, we observe the vegetation, future bunch growth and we can see inflorescences partially or completely burned by frost.

Therefore, the true production losses will be evaluated at the end of the flower.

Harvest 2016 will be  unpredictable !