Growing Conditions
The year began with a very dry and mild winter. A cool spring slightly
delayed vine budding, but the normal growth cycle was restored by
a very warm and sunny May. The first vines flowered on the earliest
sites in the middle of the month, and the fine weather then led to a
rapid flowering process. On the higher sites, flowering was finished
by the beginning of June. Due to an exceptionally hot and dry
summer, there were few problems with fungal attack, but the lack of
rainfall pushed the vines to their limits in some cases. Rainfall and
thunderstorms at the end of July and beginning of August put an
end to the lack of water, thus averting drought stress and related
quality problems and generating the comforting prospect of an early
harvest.
Harvest
Harvesting began on August 24 on the earliest sites. Theresult was fully ripe and extremely healthy grapes with slightly
reduced levels of acidity.
Winemaking
fermentation in tonneaux, malolactic fermentation and ageing on fine yeast for 12 months in tonneaux; blending and ageing for other 3 months in stainless steel tank.
