« So savory »
A mild, dry winter gave the vines an early start. Unfortunately, Spring frost hit the vineyardstwice in early April. Harvest loss wasn’t as severe as in 2016 and 2017, but production dropped by 20%.
Cool temperatures in May and heavy rainfall in early June affected blooming. Fruit set was once again hampered by the extreme weather conditions.
The second half of June, as well as July and August, were extremely hot and dry, with temperatures often over 40 °C. Hydric stress increased during the two Summer months and seriously affected the younger vines as well as the vineyards planted on alluvial deposits
Fortunately, the vines benefited from some long-expected rainfall around the end of September. The grape-harvest started on September 30 and lasted until October 8 under light rainfall that did not affect the harvest or the quality of the grapes.
The Chenins Blancs did well and withstood the freak weather conditions; their concentration and balance are superb.
The reds, though not quite as spicy as the 2018s, are generous and redolent of red fruit and violets. The savory character of the 2019 reds seduced us from the onset. The tannins are well-integrated, and the wines are remarkably balanced.
Even though the 2019 vintage may not be as superbly rich and structured as 2018, it still offers some lovely, elegant, and very juicy wines.