Illustration: Espelette peppers under the chamber's light

Illustrations: the crop under the chamber’s light, and how it arrives (packaging render).

Packaging render

Espelette peppers 2001

Espelette · Pays Basque · France

A long, even Basque summer.

Our selection: ranked first of 35 seasons here, 1990–2024, on the recorded weather.

$45per 1 kg box · $60 after harvest

0% reserved · 200 of 200 leftPlants at 70% · closes 7 December 2026

Nothing is owed unless this lot reaches 70% reserved by 7 December 2026. If it doesn't, your reservation is released.

Piment d'Espelette is grown around one village in the Basque foothills and dried on the walls of its houses. 2001 was warm without a single day of heat stress, with nearly eleven hours of sun a day into October.

168
days replayed

1 May – 15 Oct

18.4°
mean temperature

6° to 34°

1409
degree-days of heat

warmth accumulated

354 mm
rain

64 mm in the final weeks

10.8 h
sun a day

estimated from the reanalysis

8.5°
day–night swing

in the final weeks

41
mol/m² of light a day

calculated

What this weather does to the espelette peppers.

Five readings from the recorded season, each against the band the crop does best in (painted green on the dial). The meanings are what growers and agronomists expect of weather like this, not a tasting note.

Heat over the season · in balance

Heat in the range the crop does best in.

Day–night swing while ripening · ideal

Warm days and cool nights deepen colour, sugar and perfume.

Rain in the last 40 days · moderate

Some late rain, within what the crop tolerates.

Sunlight · brilliant

Plenty of light for colour and sweetness.

Days above 34° · none

No heat stress: the plant never shut down to protect itself.

The season, as it happened.

1 May 2001 to 15 October 2001, recorded daily at 43.34°, -1.45° (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo historical archive). Choose a chapter to mark it on the paper.

Point at the paper to read any day. Arrow keys step a day.

Air temperature, day high to night low · °C3–37
Rain, given as water at the roots · mm0–27
Daily light · mol/m² · calculated0–74
Peak UV · index · calculated0–10
Humidity · %54–99
Soil temperature, top 7 cm · °C8–28
Soil water · m³/m³0.16–0.45
MayJunJulAugSeptOct

Burgundy ink: the recorded day. Blue: rain. The dashed line is where the chamber is today. Light and UV are calculated from the recorded sunshine.

The ground, and what stands in for it.

In Espelette
Acid loams in the Basque foothills, wet from the Atlantic and warm from the south wind.
In the chamber
Slightly acidic, generous potassium for the pods, calcium against blossom-end rot.
The ledger: every day and the chamber’s settings for it (168 days)
DayDateHigh °CLow °CRH %Rain mmSun hLight hDLIPPFDUVSoil °CSoil water→ Water L/m²→ Mist min
11 May14.76.2767.913.213.951.610287.410.541%11.316
22 May15.86.6789.012.014.046.59237.011.541%12.118
33 May13.88.4854.39.114.029.85905.410.840%6.29
44 May14.16.6866.411.814.137.27356.210.840%8.713
55 May11.17.99522.60.414.115.63063.710.443%23.645
66 May10.67.6918.40.014.213.62663.49.542%9.417
77 May12.28.5886.02.114.217.93494.010.142%7.312
88 May15.19.5850.05.814.225.44955.011.540%1.9—
99 May20.58.5780.914.014.350.79857.513.538%4.8—
1010 May17.311.1830.56.414.333.26455.914.038%3.1—
1111 May20.811.5840.09.214.442.18146.814.937%3.2—
1212 May26.010.8690.013.814.455.210658.016.735%4.9—
1313 May18.913.0780.57.414.427.45285.316.234%2.9—
1414 May20.910.5705.611.314.553.710327.915.737%9.811
1515 May21.512.8670.814.014.549.49467.516.036%4.8—
1616 May23.111.8726.211.014.543.98397.016.135%1012
1717 May15.412.8914.50.014.612.92473.414.940%5.79
1818 May16.110.3760.013.714.650.89657.713.937%3.4—
1919 May18.27.5760.014.014.661.711718.713.735%4.1—
2020 May18.511.5840.013.314.749.39337.615.034%3.4—
2121 May19.89.7830.014.014.756.910748.315.433%4.1—
2222 May21.210.5850.913.214.750.79567.816.232%4.7—
2323 May17.713.3850.07.914.830.65765.815.832%2.3—
2424 May19.413.2850.011.314.842.37947.016.132%3.1—
2525 May20.712.1820.013.014.856.410568.316.131%4.1—
2626 May22.612.9850.013.414.956.210508.316.630%4.2—
2727 May28.913.1780.014.014.963.211809.019.329%5.4—
2828 May30.315.5760.014.014.964.412009.121.528%5.8—
2929 May29.916.1750.014.114.965.212139.122.326%5.8—
3030 May26.216.1800.014.015.060.911318.821.525%5.1—
3131 May20.416.2830.010.215.034.56406.319.525%2.8—
321 Jun20.113.7780.014.115.056.310438.417.925%4.1—
332 Jun20.511.5790.014.015.054.810138.316.824%4—
343 Jun19.513.0800.012.915.045.68427.416.924%3.4—
354 Jun25.210.3720.014.015.158.910868.717.623%4.9—
365 Jun20.213.3800.012.415.142.17757.117.522%3.2—
376 Jun18.412.5801.513.115.140.47446.916.323%4.53
387 Jun24.710.7750.013.915.164.111789.117.323%5.2—
398 Jun19.315.4840.03.515.128.55245.618.022%2.4—
409 Jun19.413.5866.04.915.125.94755.317.026%8.112
4110 Jun16.913.08816.18.115.230.05515.816.235%18.332
4211 Jun19.412.0710.014.415.257.910608.615.634%4.2—
4312 Jun24.610.1780.09.515.248.88937.816.931%4.1—
4413 Jun21.313.8820.013.515.253.49778.217.629%4—
4514 Jun24.914.3780.014.215.260.311038.918.827%5—
4615 Jun22.015.9792.39.015.235.36456.418.027%5.15
4716 Jun18.613.5750.413.315.243.37907.316.427%3.7—
4817 Jun16.912.7814.313.115.242.57777.215.828%7.39
4918 Jun18.811.9750.012.515.241.87647.115.929%3.3—
5019 Jun25.211.3670.014.715.266.812199.417.527%5.6—
5120 Jun29.212.5590.014.715.267.212269.520.025%6.1—
5221 Jun29.115.5650.014.715.267.612339.521.223%6—
5322 Jun29.716.2680.014.515.266.412129.421.722%5.9—
5423 Jun21.817.2810.012.415.251.99488.120.521%4—
5524 Jun28.815.9770.013.915.260.711088.921.520%5.3—
5625 Jun32.618.7760.014.215.262.311399.024.019%5.8—
5726 Jun24.818.0830.09.315.244.78177.421.719%3.8—
5827 Jun19.015.9879.310.015.232.05856.118.727%11.719
5928 Jun22.613.5780.214.515.258.910778.718.427%4.8—
6029 Jun28.413.5710.014.615.266.612189.419.925%5.8—
6130 Jun23.916.7820.113.815.255.110108.420.623%4.5—
621 Jul25.316.8770.014.315.261.111208.920.922%5—
632 Jul29.215.8730.014.315.264.911899.221.921%5.8—
643 Jul24.317.3760.013.515.162.811529.121.820%5.1—
654 Jul18.515.59124.50.515.110.41913.118.530%25.549
665 Jul22.212.5801.214.015.147.48727.618.036%52
676 Jul19.616.08719.05.415.123.74365.017.237%20.838
687 Jul21.513.4770.214.015.150.39287.917.836%4.1—
698 Jul20.116.2860.63.515.123.34305.018.134%2.6—
709 Jul21.415.5842.74.615.026.14825.318.334%55
7110 Jul22.216.1810.013.215.046.08517.519.233%3.7—
7211 Jul20.814.9820.213.615.036.96836.518.631%3.1—
7312 Jul24.113.6810.014.015.059.611068.719.230%4.7—
7413 Jul25.616.0780.014.115.054.110058.220.529%4.6—
7514 Jul24.315.38612.37.914.932.46026.019.631%1525
7615 Jul17.813.7877.712.114.939.47346.817.239%10.515
7716 Jul21.012.9760.011.214.946.68707.516.935%3.7—
7817 Jul25.513.9771.511.914.947.88947.618.233%5.63
7918 Jul19.415.3743.110.914.840.07496.817.634%6.56
8019 Jul17.414.68113.112.314.831.45895.916.536%15.526
8120 Jul18.713.7751.914.014.848.19067.616.438%5.64
8221 Jul28.210.0670.014.214.763.912049.017.934%5.5—
8322 Jul27.115.5810.014.014.760.311408.720.232%5.1—
8423 Jul22.117.8860.13.914.726.55015.319.831%2.5—
8524 Jul24.318.5870.16.114.628.25365.520.630%2.6—
8625 Jul26.118.0850.013.014.650.89657.821.729%4.3—
8726 Jul23.818.8890.06.814.629.85685.621.128%2.6—
8827 Jul22.118.8871.83.414.522.64324.720.529%3.94
8928 Jul23.017.88922.43.714.522.74364.819.839%24.445
9029 Jul27.618.5850.012.214.547.49097.421.636%4.1—
9130 Jul29.518.8850.013.914.456.410858.223.433%5—
9231 Jul31.420.9810.013.714.453.010227.825.031%5.1—
931 Aug33.422.4640.18.614.434.16606.025.929%4.3—
942 Aug24.419.5841.48.314.332.36265.823.229%4.33
953 Aug23.317.5780.212.314.347.59247.321.329%4.1—
964 Aug20.516.5872.511.114.234.06645.919.429%5.15
975 Aug23.013.7750.013.914.256.210998.018.729%4.5—
986 Aug23.917.8790.410.814.240.98036.620.328%3.9—
997 Aug26.614.7780.012.814.155.310897.920.627%4.7—
1008 Aug21.518.2821.17.214.126.55235.020.327%3.42
1019 Aug20.216.9842.510.414.027.25385.118.727%4.75
10210 Aug21.613.7750.013.514.055.110947.818.327%4.3—
10311 Aug25.111.6660.013.813.959.211808.118.326%4.9—
10412 Aug26.814.9660.013.813.955.911177.819.824%4.8—
10513 Aug30.415.2761.713.813.950.310087.321.523%6.33
10614 Aug33.320.0721.513.113.849.810017.224.024%6.53
10715 Aug29.119.5796.213.713.843.58776.623.026%10.212
10816 Aug20.118.18814.91.613.716.33293.620.138%16.530
10917 Aug24.917.4770.511.813.738.27766.120.434%3.9—
11018 Aug25.518.4772.07.113.631.76465.420.932%5.14
11119 Aug26.516.9780.49.313.634.87125.720.931%3.6—
11220 Aug23.018.1760.011.413.543.28856.420.930%3.7—
11321 Aug31.214.8730.013.313.554.011117.321.328%5—
11422 Aug27.318.2830.012.913.550.410427.022.526%4.3—
11523 Aug27.818.1870.012.313.446.59646.622.725%4—
11624 Aug31.120.2830.011.713.448.310056.724.324%4.4—
11725 Aug34.019.4760.211.913.350.310506.825.423%5.1—
11826 Aug29.922.0740.49.513.331.16525.125.123%3.6—
11927 Aug31.921.0700.312.513.249.410386.725.722%5.1—
12028 Aug32.120.8691.112.413.247.09926.425.521%5.72
12129 Aug22.619.4862.510.113.124.85254.422.722%4.75
12230 Aug21.518.0907.210.013.128.76104.720.528%9.414
12331 Aug20.316.5803.511.413.033.37115.119.331%6.37
1241 Sept20.114.6771.510.913.034.47375.218.430%4.43
1252 Sept24.011.8700.012.312.950.810936.518.228%4.2—
1263 Sept23.114.7750.012.012.937.18015.418.527%3.1—
1274 Sept19.715.7831.311.512.829.06274.618.326%3.73
1285 Sept20.815.4770.012.112.843.79515.818.126%3.4—
1296 Sept21.114.2740.012.012.749.010706.217.325%3.7—
1307 Sept20.715.4851.310.812.727.46014.317.624%3.53
1318 Sept20.814.7800.010.712.634.37544.918.125%2.7—
1329 Sept19.115.8862.67.112.620.44513.617.825%4.35
13310 Sept18.512.6690.012.012.542.79485.516.926%3.3—
13411 Sept20.59.9670.012.012.547.610615.815.624%3.7—
13512 Sept22.710.7690.012.012.447.410595.816.223%3.7—
13613 Sept21.711.5790.012.012.445.310175.616.622%3.5—
13714 Sept18.115.0835.68.812.324.15443.817.125%7.611
13815 Sept19.211.5820.010.312.332.37314.515.926%2.5—
13916 Sept18.413.0790.111.712.224.45553.715.626%2.1—
14017 Sept16.512.4803.211.312.226.36003.914.926%5.36
14118 Sept17.110.1770.312.012.133.47654.413.926%2.8—
14219 Sept18.99.2810.012.012.133.17634.414.225%2.5—
14320 Sept24.810.2760.112.012.034.98084.516.125%3—
14421 Sept27.514.9751.810.712.030.57094.118.824%4.74
14522 Sept22.017.0929.41.811.916.03722.718.830%10.819
14623 Sept20.815.1895.96.111.922.25193.317.833%7.812
14724 Sept17.614.4841.410.111.826.06113.616.534%3.33
14825 Sept17.310.7883.111.911.829.26893.815.034%56
14926 Sept23.99.7710.011.811.740.49584.615.732%3.2—
15027 Sept26.112.1660.011.811.739.89484.517.629%3.5—
15128 Sept24.517.5683.98.011.623.55623.218.828%78
15229 Sept21.216.2802.07.811.621.35133.018.730%44
15330 Sept26.613.8720.011.611.533.88153.918.229%3.3—
1541 Oct28.318.5610.011.611.537.49074.120.427%4.2—
1552 Oct29.119.7580.011.511.437.09014.022.325%4.9—
1563 Oct23.115.0887.80.011.44.11001.119.327%8.716
1574 Oct23.511.9800.09.211.333.38193.717.230%2.6—
1585 Oct25.716.9690.27.011.322.85632.919.029%3—
1596 Oct24.216.5713.39.311.222.15482.818.728%5.97
1607 Oct23.211.2690.310.811.235.88913.717.729%3.9—
1618 Oct19.613.4776.78.111.125.16273.017.232%8.713
1629 Oct19.411.8730.010.811.129.97523.315.632%2.3—
16310 Oct20.213.3780.010.611.027.16843.015.430%2.2—
16411 Oct26.912.2710.010.611.030.97843.217.128%3—
16512 Oct29.718.1620.010.610.930.17663.220.927%3.7—
16613 Oct23.316.1724.83.910.916.44192.220.227%6.910
16714 Oct24.411.9770.010.410.829.67613.018.029%2.7—
16815 Oct23.016.4640.010.510.827.77152.918.928%3—
Download the chamber recipe (CSV)