1999

1999 Was a precocious vintage, with a hot and wet spring (May : +3°C compared with what is normal for this month, and + 35 mm of rain from May 1 - 20). The mid-flowering was noted on May 31, then the summer was hot and sunnier then average. The mid-véraison came on August 4, as it did in 1989. The first twelve days of September were hot and dry, the week after was very wet, with more then 100 mm of rain. The grapes were picked between Sept. 20 and Oct. 8, ripe, healthy, well-constituted, thanks to the care brought to the vineyard during the summer months.
During the barrel aging, the merlot was dark, charming, with slightly austere tannin, while the cabernet seemed almost perfect, very dark, full in the mouth, with luscious tannin right from the beginning of the tasting.