2008 CHÂTEAU MONTAIGUILLON Montagne Saint Emilion
2008 CHÂTEAU MONTAIGUILLON Montagne Saint Emilion
| Grapes: Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc | Origin: France, Bordeaux |
Lea & Sandeman review
65% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. This seems to have been an excellent vintage for Montaiguillon, despite being a technically difficult to get to this point. It has good depth and fruit density as ever, but also a really good definition and length.Other reviews and comments
CHATEAU MONTAIGUILLON 2009…SO SMOOTH, SO SOFT …SO SWEET!
It couldn’t have been better for occasion for our 60th vintage!
The winter was one of the coldest for 20 years, spring was quite wet but the summer season started in May already until mid-October when we finished picking the grapes. It was a stormy year, a cloud of hail went past our vineyard at less than half a mile away. This long summer season was a dry period of time.
August 2009 was extremely hot but nothing to compare to 2003.
The nights were always cool, which is excellent for the maturation of the grapes, the acidity and the colour. Sunshine, heath and dryness in September and October were perfect for a slow maturation. I started the harvest on 28th of September, with 27°c on the afternoon. It was difficult to vinify. The Cabernets were picked from 7th to 9th October.
The grapes were very concentrated with a high level of sugar and very ripe. The average degree of alcohol is around 14%/Alc, never seen before!
The style : the 2000 and 2005 are the two finest in the last decade, both with serious structure and requiring bottle age. This 2009 has even higher levels of tannin, but it ripeness means that it feels supple in comparison. This exceptional wine combines concentration, freshness and velvety. The balance between alcohol and tannins is excellent for ageing. The suppleness gives the possibility to taste the wine young if you like.
The final blend is made up with 60 Merlot, 10% Cabernet sauvignon and 30% Cabernet France.
The consequence of the global warming of the earth is dryness; the berries are small with a high level of sugar which makes more alcohol at the end. But the impact on the cabernets grapes is really positive – I have more than 40% of the vineyard planted with cabernets francs and sauvignons- because the grapes need more sun to mature in our clayey limestone soil which retains water. In this type of soil, the vines are not suffering of dryness because they have deep roots to survive!
It couldn’t have been better for occasion for our 60th vintage!
The winter was one of the coldest for 20 years, spring was quite wet but the summer season started in May already until mid-October when we finished picking the grapes. It was a stormy year, a cloud of hail went past our vineyard at less than half a mile away. This long summer season was a dry period of time.
August 2009 was extremely hot but nothing to compare to 2003.
The nights were always cool, which is excellent for the maturation of the grapes, the acidity and the colour. Sunshine, heath and dryness in September and October were perfect for a slow maturation. I started the harvest on 28th of September, with 27°c on the afternoon. It was difficult to vinify. The Cabernets were picked from 7th to 9th October.
The grapes were very concentrated with a high level of sugar and very ripe. The average degree of alcohol is around 14%/Alc, never seen before!
The style : the 2000 and 2005 are the two finest in the last decade, both with serious structure and requiring bottle age. This 2009 has even higher levels of tannin, but it ripeness means that it feels supple in comparison. This exceptional wine combines concentration, freshness and velvety. The balance between alcohol and tannins is excellent for ageing. The suppleness gives the possibility to taste the wine young if you like.
The final blend is made up with 60 Merlot, 10% Cabernet sauvignon and 30% Cabernet France.
The consequence of the global warming of the earth is dryness; the berries are small with a high level of sugar which makes more alcohol at the end. But the impact on the cabernets grapes is really positive – I have more than 40% of the vineyard planted with cabernets francs and sauvignons- because the grapes need more sun to mature in our clayey limestone soil which retains water. In this type of soil, the vines are not suffering of dryness because they have deep roots to survive!
Winemaker's notes
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Château Montaiguillon
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