Chateau Fontenil 2010
Vintage
25th Vintage of Fontenil, the smallest yield. Grandiose and minute!(252 hl – 24.5 hl/ha)
The only anxiety of this vintage was during the flowering when the weather was not very appropriate at all. The old vines had some difficulty and encountered problems of shatter and shot berries, naturally reducing the harvest – therefore not much green harvesting. Summer was not very characteristic of Bordeaux with its oceanic influence: plenty of sun and light, no rain and not ever very high maximum temperatures, low minima and fresh, cool nights with rainfall much lower than normal. 2010 was a dry year. All ingredients and conditions were united to lead to a vintage of great quality. Harvest took place from 9th – 15th October in sunshine and in good humour. The only shadow in the pretty picture: historically, the smallest vintage at Fontenil (few bunches and very tiny berries).
Thanks to the lovely late season and Indian summer, the Merlot and the Cabernet grapes had a quality of taste rarely equalled: the skins were thick and rich, the juice harmoniously aromatic and savoury. The best parcels were vinified in barrel, either with whole grapes or only slightly crushed, and even whole bunches in some cases. The musts were rich in sugar with excellent quality aromatics, supported by very good pH’s which re-enforced the fresh character. A record amount of anthocyanins and after long skin contact tender and silky tannins, just as we love them best. A perfect young sibling for 2009, seductive and promising, a rare wine indeed.
The only anxiety of this vintage was during the flowering when the weather was not very appropriate at all. The old vines had some difficulty and encountered problems of shatter and shot berries, naturally reducing the harvest – therefore not much green harvesting. Summer was not very characteristic of Bordeaux with its oceanic influence: plenty of sun and light, no rain and not ever very high maximum temperatures, low minima and fresh, cool nights with rainfall much lower than normal. 2010 was a dry year. All ingredients and conditions were united to lead to a vintage of great quality. Harvest took place from 9th – 15th October in sunshine and in good humour. The only shadow in the pretty picture: historically, the smallest vintage at Fontenil (few bunches and very tiny berries).
Thanks to the lovely late season and Indian summer, the Merlot and the Cabernet grapes had a quality of taste rarely equalled: the skins were thick and rich, the juice harmoniously aromatic and savoury. The best parcels were vinified in barrel, either with whole grapes or only slightly crushed, and even whole bunches in some cases. The musts were rich in sugar with excellent quality aromatics, supported by very good pH’s which re-enforced the fresh character. A record amount of anthocyanins and after long skin contact tender and silky tannins, just as we love them best. A perfect young sibling for 2009, seductive and promising, a rare wine indeed.
