VINEYARD AREA

56 Hectares of which 13 Hectares were selected for the production of the Chateau blend.

DATES OF HARVEST

25th September to 16th October.

CLIMATIC CONDITIONS

A mild, dry Winter resulted in an early bud-burst and continued good conditions in Spring allowed this advance to be maintained. Summer was normal with very warm August temperatures accelerating the ripening. Harvest started in mid-September, nearly two weeks in advance of normal, in warm sunny conditions. However incessant rain in October spoiled the last days of the harvest.

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: 39 Hl/Ha. For the parcels selected for the production of the Chateau blend the average yield was 32 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 cold maceration for several days.Specially selected yeasts for the different varieties to emphasise desired characteristics.Temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless-steel tanks for average seven days.Some tanks allowed to get up to 32°C for added extraction, others fermented cool at max 23° 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) - 70% French oak, 30% American oak. Malolactic fermentation took place in the small oak barrels in the summer of the year 2001.The wine was racked out of the barrels after 14 months.It was bottled without fining and with a very coarse (12 micron) filtration.

AGEING

Chateau Vignelaure 2000 may be drunk now but will continue to develop and improve in the bottle for at least ten years.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Chateau Vignelaure red wines can be served with a wide variety of dishes, red meats, cheese, Mediterranean cuisine, the list is long and varied. But more specifically, the wines are complemented by lamb, beef, pork and duck dishes served simply or with suitable sauces (not too spicy, sweet or overpowering). Guinea fowl and quail which have finer flavours work very well with the older vintages of Vignelaure as there is a balance which allows the elegance and finesse of the wine to shine through.