The harvest of the white took place from September 8th to 13th. The acidity level declined quickly due to the beautiful sunny days at the beginning of the month. We know the extent to which acidity is necessary for the freshness and ageing ability of a white wine; the decision to harvest quite early was probably even more decisive in shaping a very good vintage of Pavillon Blanc.
Selection of our wines at the point of blending remains strict, with only a third of the harvest going into Pavillon Blanc 2016 The aromas of this wine are complex and very fine. The entry on the palate is really round, pleasant, the prelude to a long and fresh finish, both mineral and fruity.
It fits perfectly with the lineage of the latest vintages, perhaps even presenting a little more richness on the palate. It is difficult to resist today, but will still gain in complexity in the years to come. (October 2018)
Margaux
Climate
The wet and relatively mild winter led to quite early sprouting in the last week of March. The 400 mm of rain during the first 3 months of the year helped to replenish the ground water after a rather dry 2015. The spring rains came very close together and thus gave the impression that they had been plentiful, whereas in fact, the total of all the rain only amounted to the average of the last 30 years. The vines nevertheless managed to find a few rare, beautiful sunny days to blossom between June 6th and 8th.
The contrast with the summer drought was just as striking. Only 8 mm of rain fell during July and August. Even though the very young plants showed a few marked signs of hydric stress, our old vines behaved perfectly, once again demonstrating this species’ incredible capacity to adapt to the climate. Although dry, the summer wasn’t exceptionally hot. Only the second half of August was marked by higher than normal temperatures. The combination of these factors caused the colour change to be quite spread out. September, with its dry days and cool nights, enabled the grapes to complete their ripening process in optimal conditions.
The harvest of the reds, which was the most staggered in the history of the Estate, took place from September 23rd to October 18th.
All through the summer, with every passing day, we felt a little more excited at the thought of a great new vintage taking shape…