2007 VINTAGE

2007: a carefully handled harvest, full of elegance and sophistication. A vintage characterized by a delicate concentration and tension

WEATHER DURING THE GROWING SEASON

Miraculous botrytis !
The growing season started out beautifully, with a month of April warmer and sunnier than any on record. However, May and June were cool and dull, entailing a risk of vine diseases (especially mildew) such as had not been seen in 30 years.
Flowering was very spread out, from late May to mid-June, and this was one of the keys to the success of the vintage. Temperatures were cool to mild all summer, punctuated with regular showers. The grapes were ripe by late August, having retained all their freshness and aromas. Warm sunshine alternated with brief downpours at this stage, bringing on the first manifestations of noble rot.

HARVEST

Picking started on the 11th of September. This first part of the harvest lasted for three days. The evening temperatures became quite cool, and unsettled weather set in for 3-4 days. The grapes ripened slowly and botrytis was only able to work its magic towards the end of the month. A second round of picking started three weeks later, on the 2nd of October, and continued on either the 9th or the 12th depending on the plot. At this point, a period of morning mists followed by beautiful sunny afternoons arrived - absolutely perfect for botrytis!

THE WINE

Area under vine : 14, 37 ha Harvest: By hand, in 6 passes Duration of fermentation: 3 to 5 weeks, in oak barrels with indigenous yeast Production: 21,000 bottles Barrel ageing: 30 months