Château Rouget 2017

The 2017 vintage in Pomerol

Vintage benchmark: 87/100 (appellation benchmark, not a score for this wine)

Vintage character: Frost struck the slope-foot vines: the plateaus saved the day, and the vintage must be judged plot by plot.

Overall reading of the year’s season across Pomerol. An estate can depart from it sharply, in frost or hail years, where two neighbours did not make the same vintage. What this particular wine actually gave is on its technical sheet and in the scores above.

The vintage

The first winter months were abnormally dry, but February and March 2017 saw quantities of water rarely observed in the vineyard. Bud break started early and the vegetation had advanced by April. The buds were homogeneous and well spread over the vine. We did not observe any presence of fungal diseases.

On April 28th and 29th, an episode of frost unprecedented in the last 25 years touched most of the western parcels of the property, irremediably impeding the future Carillon de Rouget 2017.

The high temperatures in the beginning of May helped vines to continue growing regularly and healthily. Flowering began on 15th May for Merlot and on 20th May for the Cabernet Franc and both were perfectly homogeneous. Veraison was completed by 12th July.

Harvest took place from 20th to 29th September, first for Merlot and then for Cabernet Franc. More than ever before it was haute couture work since each parcel was picked in several steps depending on maturity of the grapes.

Blend of the 2017 vintage

Figures from the 2017 sheet

• 14.5 % vol.Alcohol
• 40 yrsVine age

Winemaking

Vinification: 40% barrel fermentation, 60% oak vats.

Ageing

Ageing: 30% new barrels.

Terroir

Gravelly soils mixed with clay. This soil composition, combined with an exceptional exposure, confers all the typicity, elegance and finesse to Château Rouget wines.