Meix Cadot is an elevated plot of land, to the left of Château de Rully. From Hervé’s fermenting room, we look towards the west, out over the Burgundy route des vins. On the slope facing us, we can see a premier cru plot that has recently been cleared which is to be replanted with new vines.

Hervé was transferring the contents of his barrels into vats ahead of bottling the 2006 vintage. At the rate things are going, bottling may have to be brought forward several weeks. The bottlers will be overwhelmed if the grape harvest is early.

Hervé guides me through the vineyard and shows me the flowers on the Chardonnay vines. Bunches of grapes have already formed; each flower will give way to exactly one berry. Eight to ten grapes are left on each stalk. Above that number, the berries could be weak, lack sugar, and drain the vine’s energy.

For the moment, as the soil is saturated after recent rain and it is very sunny, the vine is enjoying the warm humid air which is rising off the ground. A few more days of this weather and flower fertilisation will be good and the grapes will be fine. If, on the other hand, it gets cold, fertilisation will be compromised and there will be a risk of coulure (poor fruit set).

Seen close up, this is what the flower looks like. In the centre there is a little shiny green ball, called the capuchon (hood). Around it there are four stamens, which carry the pollen. When the pollen comes in contact with the capuchon, fertilisation takes place and the berry grows.

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