Millésimes-collection

VINTAGE 2004

The hail of July 21 destroyed 60% of the harvest. A complicated harvest which delivers a wine of a promising complexity.

WEATHER DURING THE GROWING SEASON

The winter of 2003/2004 dragged on particularly long. Bud break came very late, but the number of buds showed that a potentially very large crop was in store. Afternoon temperatures were summerlike in May, but evenings were cool. The vines grew quickly and flowering took place during the first 10 days of the very warm month of June. Weather in early July was poor, but temperatures then shot up. A violent hail storm hit the estate on the early morning of July 21st. Within a few minutes, some 60% of the crop was completely annihilated. The return of fine weather and the special measures we immediately took in the vineyard enabled us to nurture the remaining grapes. August weather was chaotic, and the stress from the hail storm prevented perfect véraison. Ripening picked up in early September and botrytis made its appearance in the middle of the month.

HARVEST

An isolated outbreak of sour rot filled us with anxiety. However, cool weather the last 10 days of September gave us hope, and the first wave of picking took place on September 28th, September 30th, and October 1st. The second wave of picking lasted from October 5-8, yielding grapes with perfect balance, freshness, and purity. A very stormy period then set in for ten days. Sour rot unfortunately returned, which ruined half of the remaining grapes. Good weather at the end of October dried the grapes that were still good, and the fourth, and final wave of picking ended on November 4th, in time to beat the first frost. Patient, meticulous work in the vines after the devastation wrought by hail produced a vintage with extremely low yields (6 hectolitres/hectare), but of great richness and elegance – the perfect expression of the terroir.

THE WINE

Production area: 15, 1960 ha Harvest : 4 successive manual selections Production : 12 000 bottles Duration of maturation : 30 months

NOTES ET CRITIQUES DÉGUSTATION>
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"Behind the pale color with green reflections, the intense nose smells of candied pineapple. The ample and generous mouth is rich and full with a superb volume that gives it fat. "

La Revue du Vin de France – 01/11/2005
18/20

"Beautiful wine, full of personality. "

La Revue du Vin de France – 01/09/2006
****(*)

"Great volume, great complexity. "

La Revue des Vins de France – Guide d’achat des Crus - 2010
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"This wine offers a beautiful fullness, with a liveliness brought by both the high acidity of this terroir and the character of the vintage."

La Revue du Vin de France – 01/02/2011
18,5/20

"Remarkable sample: wonderfully complex and so far the most noble rot marked flavor of all, with its fine apricot and mango nuances, wonderfully integrated liqueur in the body of the wine, clean, long and classy as a first vintage. A model of its kind. "

Bettane & Desseauve – Tast Pro – 01/06/2005
****(*)

« Perfume of apricots, with richness and style, then all-enveloping fruit with great elegance and real class, a touch of nougat with apricots.»

Decanter.com – 2005
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