Today, June 23, 2026, the thermometer reads 34°C in Dijon. The soil of the Côte de Nuits cracks under my feet, and my foreign clients all ask me the same question: "How does drought affect wine?"
As a local of Burgundy, a wine graduate and tasting workshop host, I note here what I see, what I taste… and what I explain to them.
1. The vine in survival mode: the case of the Côte de Beaune
Here, on the clay-limestone soils of the Côte de Beaune, the vine suffers in silence. As soon as temperatures exceed 28°C for several days, the stomata close. Consequence :
- Stop of photosynthesis: the shoots of the Chardonnay (king of Burgundy whites) abruptly stop their growth.
- Yellowing leaves: a sign of advanced water stress, especially visible on the old vines of Puligny-Montrachet, where the roots struggle to draw water from deep.
"Yesterday, while walking through the plots of my winemaker partner in Aloxe-Corton, we observed that the young Pinot Noir plants (a fragile grape variety) were faring worse than the old vines of Gamay — yet reputed to be more rustic. A lesson in adaptation!"
2. The imbalance of sugars/aromas: the challenge of hot vintages
In Burgundy, 2018, 2019, and 2022 were marked by early heat waves. Result in the glass:
- Red wines (Pinot Noir) with alcohol levels of 14-15% (compared to the usual 12-13%), like those from Gevrey-Chambertin.
- White wines (Chardonnay) with aromas of candied fruits (apricot, cooked peach) in the Pouilly-Fuissé, where one would expect notes of lemon or hazelnut.
- A decreasing acidity : the Aligoté (an unknown Burgundy grape variety) lose their characteristic freshness, essential for the Bourgogne Aligoté or the Bouzeron.
"In the workshop, I often have people taste a Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits 2019 (a hot year) alongside a 2021 (fresher). The difference is striking: the 2019 has rounder tannins… but less aromatic complexity. A good example to explain how drought affects wine !"
3. Visible damage: sunburn and wilting on the grand crus
- Sunburn : The clusters exposed to the south (like those from Clos de Vougeot or Échezeaux) develop brown scars and a bitter taste. "A producer from Vosne-Romanée showed me berries from Richebourg: they must be sorted by hand, which increases costs… and reduces yields."
- Withering : In the Côte de Nuits, the berries of Pinot Noir can lose up to 30% of their weight in the event of prolonged drought after veraison (the beginning of grape ripening).
"In 2020, some winemakers from Nuits-Saint-Georges lost up to 40% of their harvest due to these phenomena. One more reason to value every bottle… and every tasting!"
4. Burgundian solutions: between tradition and innovation
In Burgundy, we do not just endure. Here is what the producers I work with are doing to limit the impact of drought:
✅ Choice of rootstocks :
- 110R or 140R (hybrids of Vitis rupestris and berlandieri)
- SO4
✅ Canopy management :
- High trellising (to shade the clusters) in Pommard or Volnay.
- Bud thinning (removal of unnecessary buds) to concentrate the plant's energy on the most promising clusters.
✅ Cultural practices :
- Mulching (straw, mowing) to limit evaporation, rarely practiced
- Partial grassing (vegetative cover between the rows) to improve water retention, like in Savigny-lès-Beaune.
✅ Adaptation of grape varieties :
- Gamay (more resistant) is gaining ground in the Mâconnais or the Côte Chalonnaise.
- Aligoté (historic Burgundy grape) is being rehabilitated for its ability to retain acidity despite the heat.
"During my workshops, I often present a Bourgogne Passetoutgrains (Coteaux Bourguignons), a blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir: an accessible wine that perfectly illustrates how winemakers adapt without sacrificing quality."
PTo conclude: what if we talked about it over a glass?
How does drought affect wine in Burgundy? The answer is in your glass… and in the stories I share during my tasting workshops in Dijon.
👉 Book a workshop for:
- Tasting hot vs. cool vintages (2019 vs. 2021).
- Discover how winemakers from Côte de Nuits or Côte de Beaune are rising to the climate challenge.
- Identify the typical aromas of dry years (candied fruits, sweet spices).