After nearly 3 months of tireless work in the cellar, the
ferments have finished. All the barrels have been racked (taken off sediment)
and put back to age gently over the next 6-12 months. Weather-wise, it’s like a
switch was flicked here in Bordeaux. Ferments finished on Sunday, then snap: a
typical -3˚C, frosty, bright and sunny Bordelaise winter’s day!
The marvellous 2013 La Voute is the only wine still being
worked on daily and I am rolling the barrels, putting that lovely sediment back
in suspension. My window barrel has been fascinating during the winemaking
process. From the photo you can really see the sediment settling into layers
and then the cloud-like movement of the sediment as it’s rolled.
The 2013 Bordeaux harvest has been a testing one for the
winemakers and many of us have suffered with the weather. However there
are many small pockets here and there which escaped the heat, the humidity, the
hail and the waterlogged soil. The team here at the Chai are best placed to spot
these small parcels early and can adapt our winemaking from our world-wide
vintage experience. And despite the challenging vintage we are very pleased
with the results. Here are some notes on a selection of the 2013 wines so far.
I’ll be interested to compare these in some months’ time to see how they have
developed.
La Voute: lemon
curd and hints of white honeysuckle flowers with a brooding tropical fruit
character. Taking on lots of spice from the new French oak barrel just now, but
has a luscious texture and a limey acidity. Very early to taste and very young
Laithwaite Bordeaux
Sauvignon: wow! Incredible aroma of limes and freshly cut grass due to the
early harvest, palate has good acidity and the finish is slowly building with
time in the stainless steel. Needs the cold weather.
Vent de Folie Blanc
Vermentino: delicate, low alcohol percentage, this year and with full malolactic
this is tasting really lovely and very Corsican in style! Delicate, lightly
buttery with a classy finish.
Chardonnay: first
time fruit from Beziers, a cooler year so a really mineral southern French
character, gentle oak from the hogs heads. Will need another 6 months in
barrel.
Garage White
Chardonnay/Viognier blend: again the lower alcohol allowing early expressive
aromas of violets and tropical fruits, palate is beautifully rounded from the partial
malolactic fermentation. Just waiting for the trademark touch of spicy oak to
appear.
Le C du Chai: A
wet and humid year in Bordeaux? Yes indeed and perfect for the noble rot
development on the Sémillon. It already has oodles of marmalade and orange
peel, lovely acid as is common from Loupiac in such vintages, now waiting for
the oak flavour to homogenise. Very young, this one is going to need at least a
year ageing in barrel.
XV du President:
the tiniest Grenache yield ever in Maury this year, we were talking berries not
bunches. However quality is through the roof: inky black colour and fresh plum,
black fig and cassis on both aroma and palate, going to taste good in bottle
even early on. My advice for this vintage is drink immediately!
