2024 was not a year that would inspire love songs for vineyards. It was a challenging year in which we learned more than we expected and were reminded of how little control we have. And yet, something quietly beautiful emerged from all of this – a vintage that we are already proud of.
The mood in Maring-Noviand during this harvest was... subdued. The usual hum of tractors and cheerful shouts across the rows were quieter this year. A late frost right after early flowering dealt us a heavy blow. Some friends and neighbours reported heartbreaking losses – 75% or more of their harvest was destroyed overnight. On some plots, there was nothing left to harvest. It felt as if the hills themselves were holding their breath.
Here at our winery, we have lost around 50% of our expected yield. Our Pinot Noir was hardest hit, with losses of almost three quarters. It's the kind of thing that makes you sit down in the middle of a row of vines and think long and hard (and maybe have a glass of wine). But winegrowing doesn't wait for existential spirals – so we put on our boots, sharpened our shears and got to work.
This year has demanded much more of us. We spent about 25% more time than usual in the vineyards removing leaves, weeding the undergrowth and staying one step ahead of the rain, which fell regularly as if on cue. It was a season full of mud, patience and backache.
And yet ... all was not lost.
We began the Bacchus harvest in the third week of September under a bright blue sky and finished our harvest with a late Riesling in the golden light of the last week of October. The grapes we were able to bring in were beautiful, concentrated, full of character and hard-earned. Sometimes it is the small vintages that speak the loudest.
One of the brightest spots of the season? You. Nearly 30 of you joined us on the harvest weekends: friends, family, new faces and familiar faces – with gloves, good spirits and a healthy appetite for tarte flambée and Federweißer. The laughter, the muddy boots, the shared effort... that's what we'll remember most.
Yes, 2024 was a short year. But beautiful? Definitely.
A vintage born out of resilience, community and trust in the land. We can't wait to share these wines with you when the time comes. There will only be a few, but they will be full of stories.