AOC Coteaux d'Aix en Provence
Gold Medal Concours des Vins des Côteaux d´Aix en Provence 2001.
Gold Medal Concours National Grands Vins de France Macon 2000.
2 Stars in the Guide Hachette 2002.
Cuvée sélectionnée Conseil Général du Var 2001.
Revue de Bettane et Desseauve, 4 glasses (vin excellent) 2000.
VINEYARD AREA
56 Hectares of which 20 Hectares were selected for the production of the Chateau blend.
DATES OF HARVEST
3rd September to 16th October.
CLIMATIC CONDITIONS
An early spring with no frost was followed by a very hot and dry summer, which produced very ripe and concentrated grapes. We had some rain early in the harvest, but it was followed by the return of good weather after brief interval.
SOIL
Limestone and clay mixed with gravel. The 56 Hectares of vineyard cover three distinct areas whose varying proportions of limestone, clay and gravel produce grapes with distinctly different characteristics.
GRAPE VARIETIES
Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Grenache.
YIELD
For the vineyard as a whole: 47 Hl/Ha. For the parcels selected for the production of the Chateau blend the average yield was 34 Hl/Ha.
VINIFICATION
Grapes harvested by hand with strict selection in the field and again at the crusher. All grapes de-stemmed and lightly crushed. Varieties and parcels vinified separately with a different vinification program for each tank. Pre-fermentation maceration for several days. Specially selected yeasts for the different varieties to emphasize desired characteristics. Temperature-controlled fermentation in stainlesssteel tanks for average sevens days. Some tanks allowed getting up to 30°C for added extraction, others fermented cool at max 24° to keep fruit flavours and aromas. Post fermentation maceration for several weeks. After pressing off (and before malolactic fermentation) the wine was transferred to small oak barrels (one third new) - 75% French oak, 25% American oak. Malolactic fermentation took place in small oak barrels in the summer of the year 2000. The wine was racked out of the small oak barrels after 14 months. It was bottled without fining and with a very coarse (12 micron) filtration.
AGEING
Chateau Vignelaure 1998 may be drunk now and will continue to develop and improve in the bottle for at least ten years.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Wild game dishes. Poultry lamb and other red meats as grilled fillet of beef. But also with pintade, roasted fillet of pork, plump quail, and duck.