After a mild and wetter-than-average winter, budbreak took place early and evenly in late March. This was followed by a very dry April, including a significant cold spell, fortunately without incidence on our vineyards thanks to the influence of the nearby Gironde estuary.

May brought cool and damp weather which slowed vine growth. Flowering consequently took place within the average dates and in excellent conditions resulting from a marked rise in temperature.

Unsettled and stormy conditions from mid-June to mid-July activated mildew, which remained virulent until the end of veraison. Fortunately, drought in August and early September halted the disease, while the resulting water stress improved the quality potential of the grapes grown on our gravel soils. This period was crucial for the maturity of the pips, the development of the tannic structure and the appearance of fruit aromas and flavours.

Despite a severe threat of disease at the approach of harvest, the quality of our terroir combined with an alert, responsive and cohesive team of pickers working at a sustained pace enabled us to bring in a healthy crop at optimum maturity.

The 2021 vintage, having matured in conditions more typical of northerly latitudes, shows a return to the classic equilibrium of vintages from a generation ago, yielding fresh, well-balanced and well-structured wines that will reveal their full complexity with time.