We found this promising 2009 Rhone harvesting report which ties beautifully in with our Rhone Renaissance Roger Hickman's Wine Dinner where plenty of other great vintages will be on offer.

The good news just keeps on coming for France's Rhône Valley, which appears by all accounts to have enjoyed a scintillating harvest in 2009.

"The easiest year I've ever seen," said Éric Texier, a small Beaujolais-based négociant who produces both Southern and Northern Rhône wines. "You could harvest early with bright acidities and very good phenolic ripeness, or harvest late and get huge concentration, alcohol levels and dark as hell wines."

In the Southern Rhône, which has had a string of remarkable vintages since 1998 (save only for 2002 and 2008), growers were extremely pleased, though yields were low, with some growers reporting a crop 30 percent below normal.

"What can I say?" said Isabel Ferrando of Domaine St.-Préfert and Domaine Ferrando. "This is a vintage that was tailored for Chateauneuf du Pape ."

Winter and spring were cold and wet, allowing for the vines to store energy and water reserves to build up. This proved critical, as the growing season was very dry, with no measurable rainfall from June through August. A two-week blast of August heat was accompanied by warm evenings as well, which resulted in some shriveled canopies and smaller, concentrated berries.

"The key was that the heat wave came after veraison," said Philippe Cambie, an influential consultant who works with dozens of producers throughout the Southern Rhône, including St.-Préfert, Tardieu-Laurent and others. "So the maturity was not blocked, the grapes were concentrated and the acidity and structure was balanced."

"Due to the high temperatures, the ripening of the grapes was accelerated," said Marc Perrin of Château de Beaucastel and Perrin & Fils, which own 600 acres of vines throughout the Southern Rhône. "Not because of phenolic maturity, but because of dehydration." Luckily, a freshening rain fell in mid-September, giving the vines a needed respite from the heat and allowing them to continue ripening their fruit through harvest.

Sounding good... Don't miss out on our Rhone Renaissance Wine Dinner at Roger Hickmans Restaurant 01603 633522 24th March £55