Harvest report 2025

2025, a demanding yet promising vintage for Alma Cersius

October 3 marked the end of a demanding harvest, conducted with rigour and precision, but foresees a promising 2025 vintage.

A consistent and promising spring

The 2025 vintage began under the best auspices with a spring marked by regular rainfall each month. This water supply led to a homogeneous bud emergence and sustained vegetative development. The vines thus benefited from ideal weather to express their full potential: dense, green, and balanced foliage, without water stress during the leaf emergence and berry growth phase.

The seedbed trials – cover crops – established in the vineyards provided softer, easier-to-work soils, while promoting steady bunch emergence.

The growing season was harmonious, with a balanced leaf area and perfectly functional foliage, auguring a promising harvest for the Alma Cersius teams.

A contrasting summer, but a controlled harvest

Thanks to rigorous vineyard monitoring and spring rains, the stress experienced by the vines was limited, preserving fruit quality. The summer marked a turning point with a notable heatwave beginning on August 15^th. This rapid rise in temperatures directly impacted the vines, causing a rapid increase in the grapes’ potential temperature and a decrease in berry size. The high temperatures accelerated ripening, with alcohol increase of approximately 2 points per week, compared to 1 point in a typical year.

Faced with this development, the Alma Cersius teams were proactive: harvest began on August 19^th at the Cers site and on August 20^th at Puimisson, while the Hérépian site began a little later, on September 2^nd.

This rapid change was followed by a marked drop in temperatures and rainy periods, leading to a slowdown in ripening and the need to slow down the harvest to wait for full phenolic maturity before harvesting.

Thus, although the harvest began earlier, it ended in line with the average of recent years, with the last bin brought in on October 3^rd. This contrasting period required increased vigilance in the field, but the professionalism of the teams—from winegrowers to vineyard technicians—enabled us to harvest high-quality grapes.

Smaller volumes, but no less qualitative

The heat wave had an impact on volumes: the smaller and lighter berries led to an average 10% decrease in yields at the Cers site, while Puimisson and Hérépian maintained satisfactory volumes similar to previous harvests. Despite a slightly smaller harvest, the decision to wait for the right ripeness resulted in juices of very promising quality.

Balanced and expressive juices, a sign of a promising vintage

The quality of the juices received in the cellar confirms the efforts made in the vineyard. The whites and rosés entered fermentation with generous alcohol levels and a beautiful freshness, supported by strong malic acid levels, ensuring a natural balance from the start. The reds, ripening later, required careful monitoring of phenolic maturity, but the strategy of keeping the winegrowers patient allowed them to reach full maturity before harvest.

The oenology team is confident about the 2025 vintage. The whites offer generous aromas combined with a pleasant liveliness on the palate, with dominant aromas of sweet fruit rather than citrus. The Chardonnay stands out this year as the clear favourite, expressing roundness and elegance.

The rosés present lovely pale hues and flattering noses with hints of candy and fresh fruit, for wines full of delicacy and charm.

The reds, the most delicate grape varieties of this vintage, reveal intense colours and an assertive structure. Their maturation will take longer, but everything points to rich, dense, and balanced wines, promising a beautiful development throughout the year.

Despite a demanding harvest, the commitment and patience of the Alma Cersius teams enabled us to transform climatic challenges into qualitative opportunities. The cellar is currently buzzing: work continues in the winery, and the first tastings confirm a promising 2025 vintage.

See you in a few months to discover the wines that will proudly bear the Alma Cersius signature.