Life is good, but I am taking a wee break to whine about wine — or the lack of a 2021 vintage from Chez Deb. My pathetic vegetable and herb garden should have been a clue that my grape crop was doomed.
We had a very early frost this year, forcing buds to appear earlier than expected. I thought that was good news, but boom! A brutal Arctic freeze whipped across Europe in April killing those delicate blossoms. The wild weather was topped off by once-in-a-lifetime flooding in my beloved Belgium and other countries.
Looking Back at 2020
My terrace was covered in deep purple and green last year as hundreds of grapes appeared on vines over my head. It was like a romantic, Italian retreat. What a treat! It was my first year in the new house, so I assumed this was a regular occurrence. Ah, no!
A neighbor was surprised by the volume of my 2020 harvest, and that the grapes ripened much earlier than in past years. What did I know? Nada. I didn’t even know I had to trim anything to help them grow. They just took off!
In late August and September, I would sneak out late at night — when the wasps weren’t buzzing — to clip off clusters. It’s actually the best time to do it — not only because you reduce your chance of being stung, but apparently the sugar level is stable if you pick the grapes at night.
Grapes, Grapes Everywhere
Yes, my 2020 grape harvest was remarkable, thanks to a very hot summer with just the right amount of rain. I gave clusters of the delectable fruit to friends and neighbors. I even made jam! I planned to try my hand at homemade wine this year. Well, that plan was dashed by Mother Nature.
Is Climate Change The Culprit?
The weather in Europe has been crazy during the first half of 2021. You‘ve read about the floods in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, and the fires in Turkey and Greece. I wanted to cry when I saw what was happening to my grapes from all the rain we had. But I wasn’t the only one who was facing a doomed crop. I watched YouTube videos and news reports of vintners crying as they walked through their vineyards, talking about the devastation. I feel their pain, although on a much smaller scale. I can’t imagine the magnitude of losing your livelihood to the wild weather. I had an entirely new perspective on the challenges of horticulture and viticulture, and respect for the producers’ work.
Experts say climate change is ruining crops. My grapes were victims. All the rain we had in July led to a nasty fungus on my leaves. Many grapes just shrivelled up and fell off the vine. And many leaves turned brown, dried up and fell. It was a sad site. Those that didn’t were coated with a fungus. And, just as I was about to throw the moldy leaves into my compost, a friend said, “Don’t do it! The fungus will multiply and affect your whole garden.” The affected leaves have to be disposed of separately or burned. Ah, the things I learn every month in my new garden.
Challenges of Nature
Did you know that temperature change is affecting wine? Just look at the time of the Burgundy harvest dating back to 1354. The Economist reports the grape harvest is two weeks earlier than it was back in the Middle Ages. And scientists say the temperature changes can actually affect the taste of wines. Oh, no! Will the full-bodied Château Brane-Cantenac and Château Margaux that I love lose their striking bouquet and unique tastes?
Less Wine, Higher Prices
Belgium’s Hageland Hills is the country’s wine-producing region, and Wijngaardberg is a stone’s throw from my neighborhood. It translates to “Vineyard Mountain,” although we only have hills here, not mountains. The south side of the hill can be as much as 5 degrees warmer than the north side. The microclimate makes the hill ideal for wine growing, which started in the early 1800s.. Chardonnay, pinot-gris and pinot-noir find enough sunlight and warmth here to prosper. One vineyard actually grows grapes just as they were in the Middle Ages. You can learn all about it at the Hageland Wine Visitor’s Center in Wezemaal.
No word yet on how bad our 2021 Belgian wine harvest will be, but it may follow suit with France. Euro News says that 2021 may be France’s worst year in nearly half-a-century. Wine producers in France are expecting a 24-30 percent drop in production this year. The Ministry reported that “…it looks like the yield will be comparable to that of 1977, a year when the vine harvest was reduced by both destructive frost and summer downpours.” Luckily, the French government is stepping in to help wine producers with millions of dollars in financial assistance. Just don’t be surprised if you see a jump in the prices at your local wine shop. Hopefully, things will be brighter in 2022.
