Nose
Sauvignon blanc character takes a leading role this vintage, with the bouquet offering citrus fruit character enriched by aromas of grapefruit, white-fleshed fruits and a delicate floral note of acacia.
Palate
Stunning freshness and balance on the palate. Clean on the attack and rapidly gaining in generosity, echoing the prominent aromas on the bouquet, while the structure gains lovely, rich, fleshy character. Freshness and well-balanced aromas pre-empt the long, lingering finish. Superbly elegant Rahoul.
Growing Conditions
Sauvignon Blanc yield their best results on the premium quality plots located in Saint-Selve, while Semillon flourishes on the sandy-gravel soils of Portets and Podensac, where it reveals its true worth.
Gravely-sand and clay-gravel soils for the Sémillon, clay on limestone for the Sauvignon.
The extremely mild winter favoured early budburst and very rapid growth in the vine, followed by good and even bunch set. Frost at the end of April spared the estate’s white grape varieties, which continued to develop well approximately 3 weeks ahead of schedule. Flowering was quick and even in the dry, sunny May weather. Summer, particularly August, will be remembered for hot days (but not too hot) and cool, damp nights, with the contrast promoting freshness and balance in the bunches during very early ripening. Determining optimum harvesting dates for the Semillon(dominant at Rahoul) and Sauvignon Blanc is crucial in this early vintage. We harvested only in the morning, from August 28 to September 6. The wines are fresh and aromatic with apricot and exotic fruits hints.
Harvest
We harvest sauvignons and semillons in the morning freshness in order to preserve their natural acidity.
Winemaking
The white grapes, which are predominantly Semillon, are harvested by hand in slatted crates to avoid any damage to the berries. They are then pressed under inert gas to retain the complex aromas and the freshness of the musts.
Alcoholic fermentation in barrels (15% of which are new).
Aging
The wines are then aged for 8-9 months. In oak barrels on fine lees, with regular stirring of the lees.
Food Pairing
Perfectly matches poultry (ginea fowl, roasted chicken), fishes (lobster, skate with cream and sauces), crustacean (oysters, crab), and cheese (unpasteurized and mature cheese).
