HARVEST
October 2 to 17,
all by hand
BLEND
Cabernet-Sauvignon 76%, Merlot 20%, Cabernet Franc 2%, Petit Verdot 2%
FERMENTATION
alcoholic in open barrels (50% of the harvest), malolactic in barrels (100%)
MATURING for 16 months in barrels, 24% of which are new oak
PRODUCTION
13,000 bottles
Alc. by vol. 12.5%
Château Hourtin-Ducasse 2013
Integral
16.5, Jancis Robinson
14.5, Bettane + Desseauve, guide 2017
84-86, Jane Anson, New Bordeaux
87, Wine Enthusiast
87 and selected Vigneron d'Or, guide Gilbert and Gaillard 2017
88, Andreas Larsson
Selected Cru Bourgeois, 2009 standards
Selected and rated **, Selection aus Lust am Genuss, in Munich
Bronze medal at the 2015 Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition of Cathay Pacific, food / wine pairing with Teppanyaki beef
Selected honorary award, Dussert-Gerber guide 2017
Selected and rated *** ♡, 1001 Dégustations 2016, Internet Wine Guide
A gold medal at the Best Value China Wine Awards 2016, in Hong-Kong
MENTIONS
THE SEASON
The appalling Spring disrupted the vine's vegetative cycle. In early May, with 500 mm of rain since January, it was 3 weeks late. The first flowers are spotted on June 3 but 15 days were necessary to find them on all the plots. In July, this spreading flowering and the too many rains brang run-off and millerandage on the most sensitive feet. The August rains further complicated the situation. Despite the green work to capture the sunshine, the delay was not made up and the harvest did not start until October 2. Totally done by hand, it allowed a rigorous selection on the stem and only to pick up the grapes at optimal maturity and in perfect sanitary condition. A final sorting was done on the table, at the entrance of the cellars. The volume collected for the 2013 vintage was therefore very low. In order to stay as close as possible to the grapes, we then decided for the 1st time to put 50% of the harvest directly in open barrels to carry out the alcoholic fermentation. Then 100% of the wines were put in barrels for malolactic fermentation. The contact with the oak from the harvest led us to use only 24% new barrels to not risk "marking" the fruit, from the start characterized by a very good concentration both in color and in the mouth .
what an amount of water!
TASTING
Bright garnet hue.
The nose immediately lets out notes of forest fruits and mint.
The mouth is concentrated firmly installed on a still fiery tannin.
Harmonises with: Truffade, chicken tikka massala, Landes salad, goat cheese with Espelette pepper…