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

The start of the year was characterized by mild conditions and higher than normal temperatures. The promise of an early budburst disappeared abruptly in late February with a record snowfall of over 60 cm in one night. The following months were characteristic of a typical Provencal spring, warm sunny days, cool nights and good rainfall in April and May. These conditions resulted in a slighter later but balanced budburst and flowering across the varieties. In the period from mid-July to the harvest there was no rain and high temperatures which towards the end of August consistently reached 40ºc. This combined with a number of weeks of the Mistral produced very good ripening conditions resulting in clean high-quality grapes allowing us to hold off picking until optimum ripeness. The very dry summer meant yields were reduced by up to 30% but quality across the board was very good.

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 stain-less steel tanks for average seven days. Some tanks allowed to get up to 32°C for added extraction, others fermented cool at max 23°C 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 2002. 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 2001 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.