2021 VINTAGE

Hot and very wet year

CLIMATIC CONDITIONS OF THE VINEYARD

Hot year: temperatures are higher than normal every month (+ 12° over the year), except unfortunately in June, period of flowering - setting, and October, usually full season of the harvest.
Wet year: record cumulative rainfall of 1257 mm, more than half the normal (826mm)
The warm spring sees the vines break bud quickly. Puis le temps chaud et humide fait craindre le pire avec le mildiou. Fortunately a radiant summer turns the situation around and the grapes are perfectly ripe in the last decade of August. Are we going to relive the flash and early harvest of 2003 or the great precocity of 2006 or 2011?
But the drought and heat continued in September: the rot could not progress. Then coolness and rain set in from the 18th: more than 100mm in 10 days. October followed the same pattern, with a further 200mm. The disaster of 2000 was not far off, when over 90% of the wet, rotten crop was thrown away.

THE HARVEST

With the storm Barbara, a brief weather shift in a very strong current of wind of Autant, night of the 20 to 21, saves the harvest of the zero point. The grapes dried immediately. The window of opportunity was short: on the 24th everything was over, the rain had returned. After two-three small trial runs on September 17, 23 and 29, the "Fargues 2020" was played on October 19, 21 and 22. It is clear that the harvest was meager, about 6hl/ha, with less than half of it receiving the Lur Saluces / Château de Fargues signature. The first tastings reveal a wine full of balance. A silky, creamy liquor makes the mouth greedy but fresh at the same time. Aromas and flavors revolve around rubarbe, citrus, lemon, tangerine, candied pineapple, and a fine springtime honey.

THE WINE

Ageing period: 30 months