VINTAGES

It’s always challenging to write about a wonderful vintage, when it follows a wonderful vintage. That said the 2016 scores higher in our minds than the 2015. The color is superb, the aromas and tannins were released without effort, and the wine is beautifully balanced.
The bud break happened in late March, following a very mild winter. Springtime was rainy, very rainy, and fortunately flowering took place during a window of dry weather in June. The very dry weather set in in July and lasted until mid-September giving the grapes a remarkable concentration with colour and tannins.
The rains arrived just at the right time to accelerate maturity and allowed for stress-free harvesting.
We started picking the merlots on October 6th, the last cabernets were crushed on the 21st.
This year the wines were aged in a higher percentage of New oak barrels than normal, and for 16 months vs 12 months, as we occasionally do on very special vintages.
The 2016 vintage has the quiet nobility of great vintages, sure of their charm and their power.
The vintage was bottles in March 2019.

When asked to describe the 2015 vintage we see a combination of the fruit of 2005, the body of the 2009 and the profound tannins in 2010.
Winter, which was appreciably colder than those of the previous years, caused late, but perfectly regular blossoming. Dry and sunny weather in the spring made for optimal conditions, so flowering took place very quickly and homogenously. Sizzling hot, sunny, dry weeks in June, July helped shape the 2015 Bordeaux vintage. August will go down in history as one of the wettest Augusts recorded, our soils drained well before the drought returned in September. The harvest of the Merlots started on September 21st and we picked the last grapes on October 9th.
There were no surprises during fermentation, and these small thick-skinned berries flushed out wonderful levels of concentration and ripe tannins.
The result is a very opulent vintage with great depth and plenty of complexity. It was bottled in May 2018 and some customers, particularly in the United States are so pleased with how it’s currently tasting that we will release it to their customers in 2019.

Our Winter was very wet, yet mild, with brights sunny days arriving in spring. Despite a hail storm ravaging many estates in the Médoc, Ramaforts vines were largely untouched and a warm and gentle June provided ideal conditions for flowering. Fine weather followed in July and temperatures dropped in August and the grapes took slightly longer to change colour than we’d normally expect. September saved the vintage with no rain, and our water table sufficiently high, allowing for perfect ripening, and wonderful conditions for harvest. We started with Merlot on the 30th September and were still picking the Cabernets in short sleeves until the 13th October.

The 2013 vintage produced some wonderful Cabernet, compensating for rather rushed Merlot, and although we can’t describe our wines as extraordinary, very stringent selection allowed us to produce a well-balanced Claret for every day drinking.
The particularly cool temperatures at the end of winter and into spring delayed the growing season with flowering by 12 days later compared to the average. It rained throughout providing us with challenges with mildew, and overall the vines were finding it very tough to photosynthesize sufficiently A welcome summer drought brought the hottest July in record for 60 years, but we spent hours and hours green harvesting to ensure that the best grape bunches ripened consistently. When harvesting started on October 1st we had warm weather, and we finished on October 18th.
It’s unlike to be a vintage that one will stock in the cellar for many years, however we will release this wine to the market in 2019/2020 as it is already releasing wonderful red fruit notes, and we think it will be most enjoyable between 2019 and 2025.

We often describe the 2012 vintage as delicate, balanced and refined. We had substantially less rain than usual during the five winter months and the temperatures were mild except for the extremely cold first half of February. Budbreak was noted on April 5rd, which was otherwise a particularly wet month. A rainy and mild June was followed by a very dry July and August, ensuring a slow ripening. The weather changed again from the first day of autumn: the moderate rains, which fell regularly from September 20th onwards, arrived too late to greatly upset the ripening or health of the grapes.
The harvest took place from October 8th to October 18th, with a little more rain than we would have wished for, however the grapes remained in excellent health.
The Cabernets were more expressive than the Merlots during fermentation however during the final blending we were pleasantly surprised by their floral notes.
We expect to start releasing the vintage in 2019.

After two blessed vintages, when nature distributes all that is necessary, when it is necessary, 2011 delivered a charming yet younger drinking vintage. us
This was a strange year for weather – as many said at the time, it was summer in spring, autumn in summer, spring in autumn. A hot start to the year that meant early bud break and flowering that was two weeks earlier than in 2010. From April we had drought conditions with temperatures 6°C higher than average.
Flowering was fully underway by May 17th, the earliest date ever recorded. From the second week of June, the weather began to change, and summer pretty much disappeared in July, with low levels of sunshine hours, cool temperatures and a rainy August. In September good weather returned for harvest, with occasional rains.
We harvested 2 weeks ahead of previous vintages, starting on 15th September, and finished picking on September 30th.
The vintage is full and charming, with an elegant nose with floral notes, and on the palate, it is very fruity with lovely soft tannins.

In 2010 we were looking at another vintage of the century hard on the heels of 2009.
This vintage is a velvet dress of incredible density, an explosion of fruits and spices, with noble, rich and silky tannins.
Following a mild Autumn, the first months of 2010 were particularly cold and dry. Bud break was delayed until mid-April, and flowering was challenging during a cool first half in June. The vine roots worked miraculously, digging deeper as water was scarce. Add to that the mild temperatures during the months of July and August, the sunny months of September and October with just enough rain to perfect the balance of fruit and we had the ideal recipe for a great vintage. We harvested Merlot from October 7th to 13th, Cabernets Francs on October 14, and Cabernets Sauvignons from October 15th to 21st.
In the vats, aromas of raspberry and black cherry filled the air when pumping over, and slow fermentation allowed for a very smooth extraction of colours and tannins.
The 2010 vintage has such intensity in colour, the nose is incredibly expressive, pure and aromatic. On the palate, the structure is extremely elegant with dark berry flavours.

We previously thought the 2005 vintage was the vintage of our lifetime, as the 2009 was simply astonishing as a young wine. It has the fullness of 2005 and the softness of 1990.
Even right at the start of the Growing Season things were looking promising, with temperatures slightly above average and 220 hours of sunshine. This was tempered by a mild but rainy April, until May saw the return of fine weather, leading to swift and even flowering in late May and early June. Summer turned out to be extremely warm and even, with 293 sunshine hours in June, 262 in July and 270 hours in August. The flowering was uniform, although we were slightly worried as we had just 48mm of rainfall compared to the 30-year average of 90mm in September. Harvesting begun on the October 1st and we picked the last cabernets on October 22nd.
The aromas in the chai were glorious, and during fermentation little intervention was required to extract scintillating ruby red color and smooth velvety tannins.
The 2009 in bottle possesses extraordinary aromatic intensity, freshness and precision. Rich, ripe and mineral, with a very long, lingering finish.

The 2008 vintage reminds us of the depth and charm of 2004.
A dull, wet, stormy March brought slow, uneven budburst. Uneven flowering and poor berry set typified a dreary May (second wettest since 1946) and luckily July’s dry sunny weather allowed us to select the best bunches.
Following a cool, sodden August, glorious sunshine arrived. From mid-September to mid-October daytime temperatures averaged 22 degrees C and warm Atlantic breezes hastened ripening and kept grapes healthy. A remarkable temperature difference between day and night in September led to a very rapid synthesis of phenolic compounds of grapes. The Merlots were harvested from October 6th to 13th and the Cabernets from October 11th to 17th.
The 2008 vintage has taken longer to evolve than most vintages. Most of the vintage remained in our cellars until 2015, when suddenly the tannins softened and a very classic wine arose from a long and deep sleep.

After a mild February, budburst arrived 10 days earlier than usual, at the end of March. Temperatures soared in April – it was the warmest since 1949 – but then sunk in May and flowering was a week later than the norm. Rain and May’s chronic lack of sunshine endured until August, bringing the constant threat of mildew. Unceasing work in the vineyards was needed to maintain healthy grapes and then reduce yields in the harvest run-up. Although August began warm and sunny, rain and cooler weather soon returned, swelling the berries and creating huge variety in the relative development of various plots and vineyards. But then came 64 days of unbroken sunshine – and a long, drawn-out harvest at last got underway. We started picking on the 4th October and picked the last perfectly ripened Cabernets on the 18th.
The chai was filled with wonderful aromas of Strawberries and raspberries, yet we probably conducted the most rigorous selection in our history to produce a vintage that has stood the test of time as an everyday perfectly enjoyable claret.

A very tricky vintage marked by highly variable weather from beginning to end. A cold, wet winter that was welcome after the searing and dry conditions of 2005 gave way to dry weather from spring through mid-summer, which was marked by prolonged scorching heat in July and a soggy September which interrupted harvest and caused us lots of sleepless nights.
After a very dry 2005, the heavy rains of March were a relief but cause a delay in bud burst compared to the last years. The Merlots did not open until early April, as in the year 2000. The hot and dry month of June led to very fast flowering, Merlots and cabernets blooming at the same time. We arrive at the veraison 2-3 days ahead of last year and 10 days ahead of 2000 and 2004, and harvested between September 25th and October 10th.
Despite the challenges the vintage has richness of the 1986 vintage and the grace and the purity of 1996.

It’s hard to remember when a new vintage has been more widely praised. Even modern classics such as 1989, 1990 and 2000 did not receive as much early acclaim as 2005, its voluptuousness and harmony make it a truly exceptional vintage.
We have never seen more perfect grapes harvested, following a warm, sunny growing season. We believe the cool nights during August and September helped maintain balance in the grapes, and the wines will be most noted for being ultraripe yet superfresh. In other words, the wines had loads of ripe fruit and tannins, along with high acidity levels. It’s difficult to imagine a more perfect scenario.
The beginning of the harvest was progressively postponed until September 29th. The fruitiness of the young merlots was impressive. The yields were low but what concentration! We patiently waited for the Cabernets to fully ripen, and we picked the final grapes on October 18th.
Fermentation was at a lower temperature than usual, and the vats required less intervention than usual to extract colour and tannin.
We think it’s the finest vintage we’ve produced on the vineyard to date.

Widely regarded as a vintage in the classic style of such fine vintages as 1996 and 1988, our 2004 vintage proved fresh and pure, and well-structured for mid to long-term ageing. The 2004 growing season was characterized by alternately wet and dry periods, with a fortunate co-incidence of the dry spells firstly with the flowering, and then with the harvest. Central to the quality of the vintage, as well as to the return to normal levels of production, was the extremely good, even and short flowering which ran during the glorious weather of late May and early June. This laid the foundation for the subsequent generous crop and for the even ripening at the end of the season. Rainfall in August was unusually high leading to widespread gloom over the prospects for the vintage. However, at the beginning of September the fine weather returned, and the the crop ripened beautifully, and picking of the Merlots began a little later than usual on the 4th of October. The Cabernets followed and we finished harvesting on the 18th.
The fermentations were slow, which allowed time to clearly identify the personality of each parcel and adapt the vinification accordingly. It was a vintage dream for a winemaker.
In each bottle of 2004, there is great finesse and a beautifully subtle combination of floral, fruit and spice aromas on the nose.

2003 will be remembered as the year of the heatwave, producing a wine of unparalled density with power, strength, depth and length, and wonderfully silky tannins.
The vines, with their deep roots, suffered less than other crops. Nevertheless, some grapes were scorched by the burning sun of August. The high night temperatures disrupted the synthesis of polyphenols while also sugar concentrations increased rapidly. All our usual indicators were swept away, and it was difficult to decide when to harvest and which parcels to harvest first. Daily Observation and tasting were our only guides. Then 30 mm fell in three days during the first week in September, and we filled the first vats of juice on September 10th. With the high temperatures we decided only to harvest in the morning. Yields were very low and very naturally concentrated grapes. We harvested at a slow pace finishing on October 2nd. Fermentation were slower than usual which allowed us to master the extraction. At the end of a grueling season, facing unknown situations, we produced magnificent wine, very round and very charming.

2002 was a small harvest that yielded first-rate, well-structured, stylish wines, yet requiring considerable cellaring before they reach their peak. After a mild, relatively dry spring there followed a cooler than normal summer culminating in a wet August. A major factor early in the year was the cool spring that upset the flowering and distressed the early-developing and more fragile Merlot grape. However, we were blessed with a glorious Indian summer through September and October and this saved the harvest. Day after day the grapes were enriched in sugars and aromas, the tannins at first rough refined, and our spirits soared. 2002 was the smallest crop since 1991, yet the quality is unquestionable.
We started harvesting on October 3rd, and the last parcels of Cabernet Sauvignon were picked 9 days later. The polyphenolic potentials were impressive. The analysis laboratory had to change its rating scale as the anthocyanin numbers were off the chart. The juices were almost black, fruit and jam flavors immediately noticeable. The Merlots were particularly aromatic, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Francs exceptional. The vintage is superb: rich, powerful and harmonious with the tannic elegance of the cabernets.

The vintage reminds us of 1999 in terms of expressive aromas and dense and harmonious tannins.
The preceding winter was the wettest since 1982/83. May and June were dry, and flowering in June was early, rapid and uniform. Though July started out wet and cool, it ended warm and dry, and August was hot with average rainfall for the month. September was rather cool, providing excellent conditions for ripening, and we were able to wait for full maturity before picking. The young Merlot vines opened the show on October 2nd, but the serious things really started on October 5th and ended on the 12th. During this period, the weather was very favorable, the few rains having the good idea of falling rather night.
From the first days of winemaking we were happily surprised by the deep color, when led to a much softer extraction than usual.
It’s always difficult to follow a vintage such as 2000, however the 2001 vintage will bring us many years of drinking pleasure.

In 2000 the growing season was by no means straightforward, and little did we know that we would harvest one of the greatest vintages of the 20th century. The New Year and spring were more than mild, resulting in early bud burst. However, though
the warmth continued in April and May, it was wet,
flowering started at the end of the month. The damp
conditions continued in June and July. What saved the day (rather like
1978 though the heat and sun arrived a month earlier)
was almost unbroken sunshine without rain from
August through September, resulting in fine ripening
conditions favouring the Merlot and, for those who
waited and timed it right, the late-ripening Cabernet
Sauvignon. We began our harvest on September 25th starting with the older Merlot vines, and as we waited for the Cabernets to fully mature we completed the last parcel on October 12. Fermentation was very smooth and maceration lasted 3 weeks. With an elegance and softness on the palate, reminiscent also of the 1990 and 1996 vintages, this is one of our greatest vintages.