Palate
1997 is a vintage to savor today. It is sober and unaggressive but powerful.
Growing Conditions
Time did its work. The rollercoaster weather left differing levels of ripeness across the vineyard, complicating work in the chai. But slow ageing erased these vagaries to retain only the essential: a pure expression of the fruit. A charming vintage.
If, today, 1997 is considered as a vintage full of charm, it was certainly not an easy vintage, but rather a dangerous one that was complicated to vinify. February, March and April were unusually mild months. The sunshine reached record temperatures for the season and was accompanied by a strong drought. Vegetation started to appear on March 3rd, three weeks earlier than usual. It continued on at the same pace until the beginning of the véraison. This progression allowed for the appearance of the first inflorescences at the beginning of May, a month early. But the rest of the month was troubled. Storms and rains alternated with good weather. Fertilization was slowed down due to coulure and millerandage. August was hot and particularly humid. This situation provoked a slow and heterogeneous véraison accompanied by a strong threat of cryptogrammic diseases throughout the summer. A climate reversal limited the damage. September’s exceptional weather stopped the rot, dried the grapes and sped up ripening. However, the bunches’ heterogeneity led to indecision as to harvesting dates.
Harvest
The Merlot were harvested as of 10th, just 10 days ahead of normal and thanks to the good weather at the beginning of October, the Cabernet Sauvignon were able to make up for lost time. This maturity diversity highlights the importance of rigorous sorting at harvesting time.
