The 2000 vintage
Weather during the growing season
After a "rotten" spring which caused a great deal of worry due to mildew, flowering went well in early June.
Other than a few cool nights and a week of July 14th that was less than ideal for holiday makers,summer was hot, sunny, and dry. In fact, drought conditions prevailed until late summer.
2000 is a vintage that produced both quality and quantity. The grapes were very ripe by the time noble rot set in. The dry weather in September slowed down the onset of botrytis.
The Wine
Fermented and aged in barrel for three years.
Production : only 4,000 bottles
Alcohol: 13.5%
Sugar : 124 g/l
Acidity: 4.80 g/l
Harvests
On September 26th, we went all over the estate to pick the (mostly Sauvignon Blanc) grapes which had been precociously affected by botrytis. A few light showers brought on a spate of noble rot and the second wave of picking started on October 9th. By the 10th, there were ten more barrels of beautiful wine in the cellar. Hopes were high that the good weather would continue in order to pick the equivalent of thirty barrels within 3 to 4 days. However, this was not to be. It began to rain hard on the evening of October 10th and this lasted for one week. The remaining grapes of the 2nd wave were thus condemned. The rain continued unabated except for a period lasting from October 22-29, which meant a small amount of wine was made from a 3rd wave of picking. When the rain let up on November 15th, the pickers went out without baskets to cut off all the bad grapes, which were left on the ground. Production was extremely small : just 15 barrels of wine from 15 hectares of vines!
Tasting notes
Beautiful, brilliant, straw-yellow colour. Intense, fresh floral bouquet with hints of acacia followed by fruit and a touch of lemon. The subtle vanilla aromas take on a more spicy character after aeration. Starts out vibrantly on the palate and then develops a delicious equilibrium. Well-structured and very fruity. Round and rich, but maintains an attractive acidity. The rich aftertaste goes hand in hand with delightful freshness. The initial impressions are largely fruity with lemony overtones. These quickly evolve into fruit paste and tangy fruit jam flavours. Fresh and vivacious from beginning to end.
The proportion of botrytised Sauvignon Blanc was 2-3 times higher than average in the final blend, which gives this vintage a truly unique character. The wine explodes on the palate with perfect balance thanks to its fresh lemony qualities. The purity of aromas and flavours is altogether incomparable.
It is suggested to enjoy this wineat the beginning of the meal.
