2011 was an excellent year – wines strong in alcohol, of wonderful flavour complexity and with the correct level of acidity from a vintage where the fermentation process was easier than in years previous.

•    January, February and March were generally fine with some rain
•    April was warm and dry with afternoon temperatures reaching 28°C during the second half of the month. The first shoots began to appear around April 20th
•    May remained hot with little rain. The mid-point of the vines’ flowering occurred from May 27th onwards and the first grapes began to appear from June 10th. The hot and dry weather persisted until June 15th after which it became cooler and rain fell between the 17th and 22nd
•    July and early August were cool and damp but free of storms with the hot weather returning after August 15th
•    The grape harvest started on the August 25th/26th with the Pinot Noir crop intended for the rosé Crémant. Thereafter, the Auxerrois and Pinot Blanc grapes were picked for the white Crémant “Brut”
•    September was a dry month and gradually became hotter with temperatures reaching 30°C. The harvesting took place early in the morning and the process was accelerated to avoid the grapes becoming too heavy in terms of their alcohol levels. By October 1st, the harvest had been completed. “Vendanges tardives” were carried out in a section of the Pfersigberg parcel at the end of September whilst 0.25 hectares in the Fronenberg terroir were left for an additional month in the hope of achieving “noble rot”. In consequence of the over-dry weather however, the hoped-for rot did not occur as desired and anticipated.