JancisRobinson.com rates us!

This is great!  I am delighted to get such an important rating for our first harvest. We are passionate about our respectful approach to winemaking and this recognition confirms that we are doing the right thing and can build on this success.

It was all looking so good last week. the Merlot and Malbec are in full flower. They smell great by the way for thiose that have never smelt vines in flower. Delicate perfume in the air, intoxicating up close. The Cabernet are just about to flower (They are allways a little later)

Then Monday night the hail hit. 2 minutes of near horizontal pelets. The leaves provide some protection to the flowers; a delicate verdent shield protecting the bunches of flowers hanging below. It is like machine gunning the vineyard and horrific to watch. In the morning the vines looked weary and drooping like they had been in the boxing ring with Tyson. I was told not to look now. "Go away and come back in the afternoon". A big ask for the worried owner, but I followed instruction and by the aftenoon they had all recovered most of their poise.

If you look at the picture you can see where the hail has punctured each leaf. We've lost some grapes thats for sure but I think we've escaped lightly. This time at least...

Well what a turnaround!

Our 2007 was a really difficult year and on more than one occasion I felt horribly despondant with all that were had to face: Weather, market, France and stating a new business...

When we picked the 07 we were desperate that we should salvage something from the year. Quality if not quantity at least. Our 'new claret' must be a 'funky bordeaux'

However, having just finished a series of tastings of the 07 Primeur, I am absolutely over the moon to say that it is a fine wine indeed!. Very different from the 06, which is a great wine, because of the different blend we have ended up with. Less Merlot means that the ratio of Malbec and Cabernet are higher. A funky Bordeaux indeed.

This certainly makes for a more spicey and really ripe fruit combination. I absolutely love it and like many 07s it is advanced for its age and with slightly less alchohol it is going to be a star!

We have just had our first primeur ratings:

Le Point - 14

Revue des vins de France - 15