Harvest 2011
- 30th August : Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignons Gris
- From 7th till 9th September : Merlots for Rosé de pressée (direct crushing)
- From 14th till 21st September : Merlots for our 2nd label
- 22nd and 30th September : Merlots for Chateau de La Riviere and ARIA
- 9th September and 4th October : Cabernet Francs
- 4th and 5th October : Cabernet Sauvignons
We picked the grapes over the 3 months of August, September and October!!!! Never seen before at Chateau de La Riviere.
The overall yield reflects the difference between each plot depending on the wine we want to produce :
- Chateau de La Riviere : 42 hl/ha
- Chateau de La Riviere ARIA : 28 hl/ha
- Second label : 53 hl/ha
- Rose and CLAIRET wines : 55 hl/ha
- White wine : 65 hl/ha
Vintage 2011
’11 vintage is atypical by its climate but much more classic when you taste the wines. They are very dark coloured and intense. Red and black fruits are dominant. The presence of licorice, spice, violet, is the signature of our terroir. The first impression in the mouth is the smoothness and the freshness. Then the perfectly ripe and round tannins bring a dense and fleshy structure without aggression. Very long finish on the fruit.
Château de La Rivière
Vintage 2011
Technical sheet
Winter : Quite dry and cold.
March : Bud-burst at the end of the month.
April : Summer weather. Average temperatures are +4°C over the average. The vine grows very quickly reaching A 2-3 weeks advance at the end of the month.
May : Mild weather and high temperature.
The first flowers are observed on 5th May and full flowering between 15th and 20th May. The vine was then 4 weeks in advance. Never before seen !
Dry and warm conditions during flowering are favorable to fertilization inducing a good fruit set, ensuring a favorable yield potential.
June : Seasonal temperatures. However on 26th and 27th June, the vine suffered a scorching episode with a peak of maximum temperatures at 40°C. Depending on the hygrometry of the vines and the orientation of the rows, some damage (grapes burned by heat) has been observed.
July : The vine begins to show signs of water stress. It only rained 50 mm during the previous 3 months. The beginning of ripening begins early in the month. The vine still has 3-4 weeks advance. The second half of July was like autumn, slightly slowing the advance of the vine.
August : Beginning of the ripening process, with seasonal temperatures. Some storms stop the hydric stress of the vine, allowing the grapes to ripen perfectly.
The vine experiences a second peak of heat (37-38°C) between 20th and 22nd August, causing very little direct damage but blocking some grapes, thus inducing variation.
September : A beautiful month of September... The harvest of red grapes starts mid-September with 15 days advance.
Indian summer sets in from 25th September during the second part of harvest.
October : Indian summer continues and allows the grapes to refine their ripening, including that of the Cabernet Sauvignons.
Report of the climatic ’11 year
From a climate point of view, ‘11 vintage is atypical. It is marked by high heat and drought in the spring, then coolness and humidity in July and August.
The climate ‘10-‘11 year is characterized by:
- Accumulation of annual precipitation (495 mm) 52% below the thirty year average (944 mm)
- Rainfall recorded over the period of the vine’s growth (March to September) well below normal (243 mm against 476 mm), especially from April to June.
- Very cold winter season (October to January) : 1 to 3°C under normal.
- April and May very hot, and a cool month of July.
The hydric constraints of the beginning of season were very strong. However the clay-limestone soils of Chateau de La Riviere allowed for maintaining humidity within a moderate range very favorable to the metabolism of polyphenols.
The early deficit was, in our case, favourable to the thickening of the skin and their phenolic richness as well as the good ripening of the pips.
When the grape harvest begins, on 14th September for our second wines, potential degrees are quite low (12 to 13% Vol), total acidities are also low and the pH remains stable.
The concentration in the anthocyanes are among the highest of the last ten vintages, with good extractibility. The concentration in the tannins is also high.
On the clay-limestone soils, the pulp IS fleshy and quite flavourful.
The concentration of anthocyanes is amongst the highest of the last ten vintage years, with good extractibility. The concentration in the tannins is also high.
On the clay-limestone soils, the pulp is fleshy and quite flavourful.
Pulp on clay-limestone soils are fleshy and quite tasty.
From 25th September, this already good weather becomes also very dry, with in particular the arrival of a Northeast wind. These conditions enhance the final ripening of the grapes.
The sugars concentrate a little more to reach in some plots potential degrees of 15 % Vol., but especially anthocyanes and tannins concentrate very strongly.
Finally, the scorched grapes and those blocked by the 2 peaks of heat have been removed during the harvest thanks to an extremely severe sorting.
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