vintage description

A dry winter and an initially cold month of March were followed by above-average temperatures in spring, favouring early bud break and premature flowering. From mid-May to early June the weather was mostly rainy and wet. During the following ripening stage rainfall was evenly distributed and only a few hot days made for short periods of drought. Throughout the summer the nights were refreshingly cool. Harvest began in early September and until mid-October it was repeatedly interrupted by single days of rain, luckily followed by longer periods of sun. The white wines are crispy and fresh and have an intense olfactory appeal. Finesse and elegance characterise the red wines, which already hint at a great aging potential.

winemaking

The grapes are handpicked and gently placed into small containers to keep them intact. After crushing and destemming, the must and the skins softly slide down to the underlying barrels, where they are cold soaked for four days. After two weeks of fermentation the wine is racked off the lees and rests for three days in concrete vats before being transferred to oak barrels called “pièces” (i.e. 228 l barrels). After 11 months of aging in the oak barrels, followed by blending in big oak casks, the wine continues to age first in casks and then in the bottle.