Clos Fourtet 2007
- Producer Clos Fourtet
-
Blend
10% Cabernet Franc
80% Merlot
10% Cabernet Sauvignon - Country France
- Region Bordeaux
- Appellation Saint-Emilion
- UPC N/A
Tasting notes
Deep colour, intense nose with red berry fruit: blackcurrants, blackberries. Fat and ample on the palate with fine, coated tannins that envelop the mouth. An elegant finish with liquorice and mineral notes.
Growing season
The bud-break began late March. The weather in April enabled vine vegetation growth to catch up to the normal schedule. From May until the end of August, downy mildew pressure was present at levels we had not witnessed for 16 years. The few downy mildew !spots on leaves had no adverse effects on the quality potential of the grapes. The early flowering promised a harvest in early September, but the vagaries of the climate delayed grape colour-change, and fortunately September enabled a slow and quality final phase of ripening. The picking took place between October 3 and October 12, 2007.
Winery Technical Data
Yield: 34 hectolitres/hectare.
Barrel ageing: 80 % new barrels, 15 months ageing.
Mid flowering point: 28 June.
Mid colour-change point: 27 August.
Picking dates: 03 - 12 October.
Barrel ageing: 80 % new barrels, 15 months ageing.
Mid flowering point: 28 June.
Mid colour-change point: 27 August.
Picking dates: 03 - 12 October.
Vinification
We carried out pre-fermentation, cold macerations of 2 days, after which the alcoholic fermentations began. This was the first year for a long time that the core of the must fermented quickly, leading us to punch down the cap of skins several times per day in some vats in order to get a good extraction.
Weather conditions
We had 20 days of frost, half of which occurred in mid-December and the other half at the end of January. Overall, the winter was relatively mild. February was very rainy (120mm/4.72 inches) which enabled water reserves to be topped up. April was hot and !dry. From May until the end of August it rained very regularly while the summer temperatures were not very high apart from a few days when the thermometer went slightly over 32°C. From August 30 to September 22, hot, dry weather set in. During the harvest a few isolated showers interrupted the picking !of the grapes.
