Tasting Notes
2006 was a generally hot and dry year, marked by brutal fluctuations in the weather. Budbreak was in late March. Flowering took place as usual at the end of May and the first ten days of June with nice, cool weather: a homogeneous flowering with no noticeable signs of coulure. Heat wave temperatures (35°C / 95°F) were common during the second half of June and the month of July. This hot and dry weather was luckily peppered with short thunderstorms. In these conditions, veraison was early, and was practically finished by the end of the month of July. August was marked by a sudden reversal of the situation. The cool and rainy weather considerably slowed the ripening process, presenting an important risk of mildew that required constant vigilance. The end of August and the first ten days of September saw a return of the heat wave, with temperatures reaching 35°C / 95°F, thus accelerating the previously sluggish ripening process, while making the grape skins more fragile. The rainy period that followed, luckily accompanied by cool temperatures, demanded our utmost attention in order to harvest each parcel at the right moment. Despite the inconsistencies, the weather conditions were actually favorable for the quality of grapes grown on great terroir. June and July allowed the grapes to stock a potential for quality that was revealed as they ripened in September. The rich and powerful tannins don’t overshadow the elegance of our wines, nor their delicate aspect and depth.