2024 : « The Old Fashion »
08.29.2024 – 10.01.2024
This vintage is marked by cooler and wetter weather than usual. As the old timers in the village say: the weather we’ve had this year stands out for its coolness and higher rainfall, but it is more reminiscent of a classic vintage from 30 to 40 years ago.
The year begins with a rainy winter and early spring, accumulating between 200 and 300 mm of rainfall between January and April. This climate gives way to an early and warm spring, with temperatures reaching 27°C during the weekend of April 13 and 14. The warmth, combined with some rain, promotes a rapid start for the vines from early April, leading to spectacular growth.
However, the week of April 22 is marked by a drop in temperatures (5 to 10°C) and a significant risk of frost, fortunately alleviated by a helpful Mistral wind. The weekend of April 26 marks the beginning of the first treatments in anticipation of the expected rains. After several rainy episodes, totaling 50 to 60 mm, temperatures rise from May 8 onward. May remains wet, with an additional 45 mm of rainfall, which favors vine growth due to the water retained in the clay soils.
This year, flowering was particularly long and interrupted by strong days of Mistral winds and rain, causing a historic coulure (shatter). This phenomenon, confirmed during the harvest, halved our yields.
After a hot summer, but one punctuated by rain, August, dry and without excessive heat, provided perfect conditions for grape maturation. A temperate season, with almost optimal conditions: maturities were slow, and the grapes did not suffer.
However, two significant rain episodes, on September 4 and 8, disrupted the harvest schedule. We chose to harvest our Syrah before these episodes, to preserve a northern profile: floral, balanced, complex and with great freshness. These rains required a great deal of patience to reach the right maturity for our Grenaches and avoid dilution.
This vintage stands out for its rare freshness, especially in the whites, which display a perfect natural balance: fruit, minerality and tension. The reds, though very limited in quantity, reveal a brilliant fruitiness, floral aromas, great depth and soft tannins. A promising vintage that will gain in complexity through various aging methods.