Dear Readers, I wish you all the best for this New Year !
At Fieuzal pruning started on 5th December and we should be finished with the 600,000 vines at the château by mid-March.
As you know, we are starting our second year of transition towards organic certification. The vineyard has been run this way for several years now. The whole team is committed to this approach which consists of limiting as much as possible any human or material impact generated by our cultivation of the vines.
On this subject, we have just purchased an electric tractor which I believe goes along with our project of respecting the ecosystem. We will continue to make improvements.
Managing the vineyard in this way allows us to vinify the most authentic grapes possible from our land, by which I mean they bear the characteristics of our location.
The frost gave us a great deal of bother in 2016, however the small amount we did harvest seems to be on the right track!
Tasting the different batches of 2016 reds already shows me that this vintage at Fieuzal will be top notch.
With a style tangibly less concentrated but more elegant than the 2010s, without a doubt due to less-forced extractions, these 2016 wines are unusually uniform. The characteristics which come to mind are freshness, balance, density and depth.
Without going into detail, for the last two years we have tried to adapt our ageing to each grape variety. While our Cabernet Sauvignons and Petit Verdots are still matured in 225L new barrels, our Cabernet Francs and Merlots benefit from larger barrels (400L) and we always think twice before using new wood; we have also proven that maturing all four grape varieties in amphora can have its advantages.
These changes are aimed at bringing out the best characteristics of each grape variety.
The results encourage us to continue towards this “à la carte” ageing.
Our 2016 whites are still finishing off their barrel ageing, in oak or acacia according to the characteristics of the Sauvignon and Sémillon. Due to the low yields, we have a unique richness at Fieuzal. There is a saltiness to the finish which I love.
Never exuberant in their early years, except perhaps for the 2008, I find that our Fieuzal whites age very well. The 2010, 2011 and 2012 vintages are currently showing very well. I’d give the 2009, 2014 and 2013 a few years more.
A very Happy New year to you all once again.
Stephen Carrier, Winemaker