La Dame de Montrose 2017

The year began with a mild winter, Sec marked by 2 weeks of cold at the end of January. Temperatures remained mild throughout the spring, allowing the vines to bud evenly from March 29.

An early vintage was on the cards, but at the end of April, the vegetative cycle slowed under the effect of cooler temperatures. The Gironde estuary played its vital role as a thermal regulator during the 3 consecutive days of frost that spared our vineyards.

Summer conditions in May and June favored uniform flowering (full bloom on May 29). The vines continued to develop serenely, without any particular sanitary pressure, an undeniable asset for the management of our 45 hectares of organic viticulture. The rainy spell at the end of June meant that veraison began on July 21.

After a temperate summer (Sec), the September rains accelerated the ripening process. The 4 grape varieties reached full ripeness in a very short time. The harvest took place from September 12 to September 29 under ideal conditions. The team of around one hundred pickers picks the grapes within each parcel of land, in a very fluid organization.

This precision work is echoed in the vat room, recently equipped with over 90 small-capacity vats. The Extractions are gentle and the macerations slightly shorter than last year. For our blends, we have a rich aromatic palette of 82 batches of very typical free-run wines, fully expressing the terroirs from which they come, matched by 9 batches of press wines offering us the possibility of adjusting the tannic density of our wines with extreme precision.

The 2017 climate was particularly favorable to our Cabernet Sauvignon. This year, they make up 76% of the Grand Vin blend, giving this vintage a very classic profile.