Pauillac
The vintage
The late frosts that ravaged Bordeaux's vineyards and many other wine regions in France and Europe on 27 and 28 April had a major impact on the 2017 vintage. The harvest was the smallest recorded since 1991. Fortunately, the wines produced by the properties that were spared by the frost proved to be of excellent quality. The sunny September allowed the Cabernet Sauvignon to continue ripening, thereby favouring the Left Bank appellations. The 2017 Pauillac wines combine finesse and balance in a fresh, oceanic vintage.
Location
Pauillac is located 40km North of Bordeaux on the left bank of the Gironde estuary.
Terroir
Pauillac enjoys exceptional climatic and geological conditions to make outstanding wines. Three of the five First Growth of the 1855 classification are from this famous appellation. Sitting on a beautiful gravelly hilltop, it provides the perfect ripening conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon, resulting in voluptuous, well-structured wines.
Winemaking
This wine is made using traditional Bordeaux methods, the grapes are destemmed and crushed before being placed in thermoregulated stainless steel vats for fermentation. Fermentation is conducted at 30°C and is followed by three weeks of maceration with regular pumping-over to ensure a gentle extraction of the tannins. After malolactic fermentation, 60% of the wine is transferred into French oak barrels for a period of 12 months.
Tasting
Beautiful ruby-red colour with hints of brick.
The nose is complex with aromas of Morello cherries and liquorice. On the palate, the wine offers well-structured power and silky tannins, leading on to a long, fruity finish with notes of dark berries.
Alcohol content
12.5
Grapes
Cabernet sauvignon
: 65 %
Merlot
: 35 %