CHATEAU HAUT-BAILLY

2018

FREEDOM

2018 was a year of extremes : the excessive rainfall of winter and spring was followed by drought with a long sunny summer for more than four consecutive months ... rare and ideal!

WEATHER CONDITIONS

From December 2017 to May 2018, Bordeaux had 800 mm of rain, the equivalent of an entire year of rainfall.

Spring was cold and the vintage started late.

June was hot and humid! A virulent mildew threatened the entire French vineyard. This pressure extended until early August. Unfortunately our vineyard was not spared.

Mid-July, the same day that France won the football World Cup, the trend of the vintage was reversed. Summer was dry and hot (the hottest since 2003 and 1947). The speed of the vine growth was rapid and the water sufficiency stimulated the enlargement of the berries. These conditions made it possible to make up the vegetative delay of spring. the vintage was earlier than initially expected.

The hot summer followed by a beautiful late season was favorable to maturation, and the high temperatures, close to those of 2016 and 2010, were particularly useful for the colouring and aromatic potential of the grapes and to promote the synthesis of anthocyanins.

HARVEST

The summer, fine, warm and sunny, continued advantageously in September and October, and provided us with exceptional conditions to achieve a “made to measure” harvest: fifteen days of picking over four weeks. The harvest began quietly with the Merlots on September 17th. Petit Verdots, Cabernets Francs and Cabernets Sauvignons were picked from October 1st to 9th.

Paradise after a hellish spring!

Careful and meticulous sorting was carried out by an incredibly international and dedicated team of pickers... and efficiently completed by a destemming process (Cube and Viticlean) and a high-performance vibrating sorting table.

Given the high alcoholic degrees, the fermentations were longer than usual. If the quantity is small, the quality is remarkable.

The WINES are full of colour, dense, structured and expressive. Opulence and exceptional quality for a solar vintage.

Harvest dates : September 17 th – October 9 th