vintage description
A long winter left the vines dormant until early April. Bud break was followed by a drop in temperatures, which delayed flowering. The weather remained changeable throughout the summer, with a very hot June and wet July, providing the ideal groundwork for the imminent maturation period. August presented itself from its best side, with sunny and dry weeks and extraordinarily low temperatures at night. Apart from few showers in late September/early October, the weather during the harvest, which started 10 days later than last year and with lower volumes than usual, was characterised by many warm days with increasingly cooler nights. The white wines of the 2021 vintage showcase great depth and reveal pronounced freshness and delicate fruity notes on the palate, whereas the fuller bodied red wines boast mature tannins and fresh aromas of fruit.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
- grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot
- yield: 45 hl/ha
- altitude: 250 – 350 m
- slope exposure: south-east 90 % and south 10 %
- soil: calciferous gravel with loam
- age of the vines: 15 – 25 years
- climate: extreme interplay between sunny days, influenced by the Mediterranean climate, and cool nights, marked by the cold downslope winds from the surrounding mountains.
- harvest date: early to late October
- bottles produced: ca. 18,300, 700 magnum bottles and some other big formats
winemaking
At harvest, the grapes are delivered in small bins and immediately gently pressed.
Fermentation is carried out at a controlled temperature (26 °C) in big oak casks with regular pumpovers to increase the level of extraction from the grape skins for maximum aroma and an intensive colour.
MATURATION
Loam matures first in barriques for 12 months, then for another 6 months in oak casks and finally for at least another 6 months in the bottle.
