(Please see here for my overview on 2018 in the Côte d’Or.)
Mathilde Grivot said that harvesting began on 11 September — in hot years, the Pinot Noir is constructed around the tannins (something I pointed out years ago when initially reporting on the 2003s). By harvesting this late there was the opportunity for rain several days before to fully allow for ripening of the tannins. She said that sugars did not change, but the acidities concentrated: pHs around 3.50, total acidity in the range of 3.1-3.3.
As is customary at Grivot, grapes were entirely destemmed. Quantities are generous — only five barrels below the maximum for the cellar. Malo-lactic fermentations were quicker than usual (this cellar is usually quite slow): finishing in February to April for the Bourgogne and village wines, later for the 1er cru and grand cru wines.
The Bourgogne and the village wines have 20% new oak, the 1er crus 30-35%, and the grands crus 35-50%.
Although it often is true in this vintage that for late picking, the wines are ripe and even overripe (and often less good the quality than wines from earlier in the vintage), these wines stand out as counter-examples to such a generalization.