Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux

Le millésime 2025 est marqué par une saison contrastée, avec un printemps doux et équilibré, sans excès ni déficit, suivi d’un début d’été et d’une période estivale plutôt secs, rappelant le profil de 2022. Le débourrement intervient avec une semaine d’avance, précocité que l’on retrouve également dans la floraison. Celle-ci se déroule de manière rapide et homogène, dans des conditions climatiques particulièrement favorables, sans coulure ni millerandage.


La pluviométrie reste faible au début de l’été, installant progressivement un déficit hydrique. Le mois d’août est dominé par un épisode caniculaire, entraînant une accélération des maturités, notamment sur le sauvignon blanc.
En fin d’été, près de 60 mm de précipitations tombent entre fin août et début septembre. Ces pluies, attendues, apportent un rééquilibrage hydrique et une baisse des températures, permettant une maturation plus régulière et homogène en fin de saison. Malgré quelques épisodes pluvieux ponctuels en septembre, les conditions sanitaires demeurent très bonnes.
Dans ce contexte climatique, le choix a été fait de ne pas avancer les dates de vendanges afin d’atteindre une maturité optimale, en particulier phénolique. Cette décision, assumée mais engageante, a permis d’atteindre un niveau de qualité particulièrement élevé, avec des raisins récoltés à parfaite maturité, exprimant pleinement le potentiel du fruit et du millésime.

Weather factors impacting the 2024 vintage began in 2023 with exceptional amounts of rain. From autumn onwards, there was an unusually intense accumulation of rainfall for several months. Between the 18th of October and the 28th of March, more than 1,000 mm of rain fell in the vineyard, surpassing the previous record for rainiest vintage by 300 mm. With mild winter temperatures, 3°C higher than historical averages in March, the abundance of water and warmth provided ideal conditions for the vines to start their growth cycle well ahead of schedule. Bud break occurred between the 22nd and 25th of March, 7 to 10 days earlier than in recent years. However, the wet weather continued, setting the pace for the entire growing season. While some past great vintages, such as 2000, had similar rainfall, what set 2024 apart was the frequency of rainy days. Access to the plots became a constant challenge, and the omnipresent threat of downy mildew meant that teams had to remain vigilant at all times. In this challenging context, flowering was slightly delayed, spanning from the 31st of May to the 7th of June.

Véraison, when the grapes change colour, took place between the 9th and 23rd of August, and was reminiscent of vintages such as 2014 and 2016, confirming a growth cycle significantly influenced by wet weather. Faced with these conditions, the vines reacted in contrasting fashions. Plots with very cool, deep soil suffered from downy mildew, particularly affecting the volumes destined for our third wine, Margaux du Château Margaux. Conversely, our gravelly terroirs, with better drainage and earlier ripening, were able to preserve their potential and produce some of the finest grapes of the vintage.

While the weather conditions put the vines to the test, they did not compromise the exacting stan - dards and precision with which our teams work on every Château Margaux vintage. With an average yield of 30 hl/ha, the sorting carried out by our pickers in the vineyards was more rigorous than ever, highlighting the most resilient terroirs and offering an optimal balance between concentra - tion and finesse.

The winter of 2022-2023 was relatively mild, although there were about ten days of real winter temperatures in the first half of February.
There was also not much rain during the first few months of 2023: 196 mm in Margaux, allowing only a very light replenishment of groundwater reserves after an extremely hot, dry 2022 vintage. In these conditions, bud break occurred between the 3rd and the 10th of April.

Fortunately, spring did not bring any of the feared frosts. Rain was sparse but frequent during the growing season. There were just two weeks of sustained rain in June (72 mm). However, these conditions made it potentially difficult to keep the vines healthy. The high relative humidity in the air created very favourable conditions for downy mildew. Our vineyard teams succeeded in main¬taining healthy foliage to ensure good-quality ripening of the grapes and a successful harvest.

The vines flowered between the 31st of May and the 5th of June in good conditions, with no signs of coulure or millerandage.
2023 was markedly different from the previous vintage in terms of temperature. In 2022, there were very early heatwaves. In 2023, we had just one real heatwave, between the 17th and the 24th of August, the period when the grape skins mature, becoming thinner and more sensitive to the com-bined action of high temperatures and sunshine. The berries that were most exposed to the sun suffered scalding, forcing us to do a lot of sorting during the harvest.

The description of the weather conditions has begun the same way almost every year for the last ten years: 2022 was once again the hottest year on record... and to this, we must add another climate phenomenon: a severe drought. However, these two factors impacted the harvest in such a way as to produce an extraordinary vintage.

Apart from some frosts in mid-January, the winter of 20x22 was mild and relatively dry, with just 150 mm of rain. Nationally, the spring of 2022 was the third warmest (13.2°C) since 1900, close behind 2011 and 2020. It was the same in Margaux, with record temperatures during June, sometimes exceeding 40°C. Fortunately, in typical Bordeaux fashion, there was regular rain throughout the spring, with 182 mm in Margaux. Summer brought further extremes: three long, intense heat waves; the thermometer again recorded temperatures over 40°C several times, and over 35°C for more than 14 days in July and August. Slightly more than six long weeks passed without a single drop of rain. The 20 mm that arrived at the end of August was welcome, but its effect was more to cool the air than to significantly rehydrate the surface soil.

In these conditions, budburst was relatively spread out, between March 28th and April 13th, depending on the grape variety and the nature of our diverse terroirs. Conditions were sufficiently good that no coulure or millerandage was observed in our plots during flowering, which took place in the week of May 24th, indicating an early vintage.

The summer weather then reinforced the early nature of the vintage. The white grape harvest took place extremely early, on August 18th.

For the red grapes, it lasted from September 8th to 27th, with normal temperatures in September and optimal harvesting conditions. The first autumn rains began on the last day of the harvest.

The winter of 2021 was relatively mild, although quite wet, with more than 230 mm of rain falling in the first two months of the year. With the month of March being drier and warmer, our vines flowered between the 23rd and the 30th of the month. Spring was marked by frequent and severe episodes of frost, testing the frost protection sprinkling systems on our white grape vineyards like never before. Temperatures fell so drastically that we lost close to a hectare's worth of our white harvest. On the other hand, our red grape vineyards were less affected by the cold, with only a few vines hit by some morning frost.

May and June recorded quite a bit of rainfall, and we had to be watchful to prevent the spread of fungal diseases. The determination of our team eventually paid off and we were able to maintain the grapes and leaves in good health. Budbreak occurred between the 1st and the 6th of March in average conditions, however the fruit-set was excellent, with only a few of the older plots falling prey to coulure or shatter.

After a rainy month of July, August and the first half of September were extremely dry. Just after we had finished picking the white grapes, we had about 45 mm of rain, raising concerns of a poor red harvest.

As in the 2017 vintage, we were faced with the following choice: pick grapes that were not fully ripe before they could potentially be attacked by Botrytis, or wait till the end of September to harvest the grapes when they would be riper and more concentrated from the additional sunshine. And as in that year, the decision was made to prioritise the quality of the grapes. The early Merlot plots were harvested on the 24th of September while the later Cabernet harvests only began by the 4th of October. The harvest was completed by the 13th of October. The season definitely presented its fair share of challenges, but the quality of our work and attention ensured we had an elegant and dense vintage.

As in the preceding vintages, 2020 saw average temperatures that were among the highest ever recorded due to a series of heatwaves and an exceptionally dry summer.

After abundant rainfall at the end of 2019, there was very little rain in the first quarter of 2020, 80 mm (3.15 inches) less than the thirty-year average. Winter 2020 stood out for its mild temperatures. Average temperatures were 3°C (37°F) above the thirty-year average and temperatures in February sometimes exceeded 20°C (68°F). Only four light frosts occurred in what was otherwise a mild winter. As a result, bud break was extremely early, from the 22nd to the 26th of March depending on the grape variety, approximately ten days earlier than average. The 2020 vintage promised to be an early one.

The spring was also very mild. Temperatures in April were among the hottest since 1962. Flowering occurred between the 21st and the 26th of May, in excellent conditions. There were no signs of coulure or millerandage. The spring was particularly wet, which meant a greater risk of disease that we nonetheless managed to control (very few signs on the leaves and none on the bunches).

The summer brought long and intense heatwaves between the 23rd of June and the 12th of August, as well as significant drought, with no rain at all between the 19th of June and the 10th of August. Ripening occurred between the 23rd and the 26th of July. It was only during the second ten-day period of August that rainfall helped limit potentially excessive hydric stress. Nearly 80 mm (3.15 inches) of rain fell on August 13th. In spite of the thunderstorms that followed, the rainfall did not significantly penetrate the soil. However, the storms did cause the temperature to decrease and limit sun exposure thus contributing to maintaining good acid potential in the berries.

Conditions in September were also ideal for the grapes, with glorious sunshine by day, cool nights and only 14 mm (0.55 inches) of rain. We began to harvest our early Merlots on September 10th. There were just a few days in mid-September when it became too hot to harvest during the afternoon. The harvest began on a larger scale on September 21st when all our grape-pickers arrived and immediately began picking our Cabernets. The harvest ended on September 30th.

Globally, 2019 was the warmest year on record. In France, the average temperature was 13.7°C, 1.1°C to 1.2°C higher than usual.
In Margaux, the winter of 2019 was mild at 1 to 2 degrees above the 30-year averages, with limited rain (30 mm less than the 30-year averages) and only three days of frost. Under these conditions, the date of bud-break ranged from March 29th to April 4th.

Spring was mild and temperatures were near-normal for the season, with abundant rainfall at the end of April and again between June 5th and June 18th. Flowering occurred between the 1st and the 9th of June and went relatively well. Only some older parcels of Merlot showed some signs of coulure. The rain, which risked causing occasional outbreaks of mildew, had no sanitary impact and the vineyards remained in a very good state throughout the year.
The summer stood in sharp contrast to the rainy spring. Anticyclonic conditions prevailed and only 64 mm of rain fell between June 21st and September 21st. However, the summer of 2019 will be best remembered for two heatwaves at the end of June and then from July 22nd to 24th when the temperature reached 39.9°C in Margaux!

The red grape harvest began on September 18th in ideal conditions, and the Merlot grapes were perfectly ripe and concentrated when picked. A weather disturbance between September 22nd and the 29th did not affect the health of the grapes and allowed them to ripen more slowly under conditions that were less aggressive for the vines, better preserving the acidity levels, with ultimately not too high levels of alcohol. The grapes picked between the end of September and the beginning of October benefited from the concentration developed after veraison (August 5th to the 10th), without being significantly affected by low slight dilution from the rain.
The harvest ended on October the 10th.

The warmest year since the beginning of the 20th century, temperatures in 2018 were 3.24°F above the national average. In Margaux, the year began with a relatively mild winter with below-normal temperatures and occasional frosts in February which had no impact on our vines. The rest of the year was hot, sometimes very hot, compared with seasonal averages, marked by record-breaking temperatures in the last ten days of June and the first ten days of August, more than 7.2°F above the 30-year average.

Rainfall in the first half of the year was heavy with nearly 25 inches in Margaux between January 1st and July 10th, making growing conditions challenging. Each rainy day made a good vintage less likely. But dry and warm summer conditions eventually reached our region and remained until the end of the harvest. Rainfall was very low between mid-July and late September at 2 inches. This rainfall pattern is reminiscent of 2009.

Under these conditions, budbreak was relatively late between the 4th and the 10th of April. The vines flowered between the 25th and the 28th of May and, despite fairly poor conditions, we did not note, even in the relatively sensitive Merlot plots, poor or failed fruit-set. The greatest challenge was mildew which this year led to slightly lower yields than hoped for after the fruit-set.

The white grapes were harvested the week of August 27th. The red harvest took place from September 17th to October13th in ideal conditions. Again this year, we were able to choose the best time to harvest our grapes – no Botrytis symptoms, mild weather, ripening conditions sufficiently spread between the earliest Merlots and latest Cabernets – and we had time to take the necessary care with each wine-making vat. Nearly a hundred different batches were converted into wine this year, demonstrating our continued efforts for better and more precise selections.

After a relatively dry 2016, the first months of 2017 brought the necessary precipitation to keep the water table balanced. Winter temperatures weren’t particularly cold. The vines budded around April 4th, but we weren’t wary enough of the spring-like temperatures and a frost on the nights of April 27th and 28th served as a reminder that, above all, winegrowers are dependent on nature. The choice location of our vineyard plots allowed us to limit frost damage: only 10% of our red vines were affected.

In the whole growth cycle, only the last week of June saw heavy rainfall. The vines had already flowered between May 25th and 30th in the most favorable conditions for efficient, homogeneous pollination. Summer 2017 more or less resembled summer 2016: warm and very dry through July and August. Light rainfall in early September was the only thing that disrupted a rare opportunity to produce a third great vintage after 2015 and 2016; we had just harvested our white grapes when heavy precipitation dashed our hopes of a truly standout year.

We then had to make a crucial decision: to harvest quickly grapes that were not yet ripe enough for fear that Botrytis would ruin them, or wait for the sun’s return and harvest riper, more concentrated grapes later in September. In keeping with our high standards of quality and reassured by optimistic weather forecasts, we chose the latter and harvested the reds between September 12th and October 3rd in exceptionally fine weather conditions.

The wet and relatively mild winter led to quite early sprouting in the last week of March. The 400 mm of rain during the first 3 months of the year helped to replenish the ground water after a rather dry 2015. The spring rains came very close together and thus gave the impression that they had been plentiful, whereas in fact, the total of all the rain only amounted to the average of the last 30 years. The vines nevertheless managed to find a few rare, beautiful sunny days to blossom between June 6th and 8th.

The contrast with the summer drought was just as striking. Only 8 mm of rain fell during July and August. Even though the very young plants showed a few marked signs of hydric stress, our old vines behaved perfectly, once again demonstrating this species’ incredible capacity to adapt to the climate. Although dry, the summer wasn’t exceptionally hot. Only the second half of August was marked by higher than normal temperatures. The combination of these factors caused the colour change to be quite spread out. September, with its dry days and cool nights, enabled the grapes to complete their ripening process in optimal conditions.

The harvest of the reds, which was the most staggered in the history of the Estate, took place from September 23rd to October 18th.
All through the summer, with every passing day, we felt a little more excited at the thought of a great new vintage taking shape…

Winter, which was appreciably colder than those of the previous years, caused late, but perfectly regular blossoming. Dry and sunny weather in the spring made for optimal conditions, so flowering took place very quickly and homogenously. This hot, dry weather persisted throughout the months of June and July, to a point where we were afraid there could be water stress, at least in the most sensitive plots. Fortunately a little rain in August arrived just in time to ensure a quick and regular colour-change. The drought, which arrived again in September, together with very warm days and cool nights, enabled the grapes to balance their richness in sugar with good acidity, to render their tannins more silky and to make their aromatic potential more complex.

The harvest of the reds took place from September 18th to October 6th. The small size of the grapes and their thicker skins indicated a very high concentration of tannins. The 2015 weather conditions are, in fact, the feature of very great vintages, like 2005, 2009 and 2010.

After a very wet and mild winter, without any significant cold spells, spring was « normal »: May was rather cool and June was quite warm, so flowering happened on the usual dates, and under very favourable conditions; it was therefore very quick and homogenous, contrary to the previous year.

July didn’t bring us any great surprises, but August was particularly cool, without doubt one of the coldest we have seen in recent times. These low temperatures made it difficult for the grapes to change colour, which took a long time. Fortunately it didn’t rain much, but in neither July nor August did we have a really dry spell. As it often happens in Bordeaux, at the end of August anything was still possible; a prospect of a good vintage as well as of a mediocre one… The really fine sunny weather of September brought us exactly what we were hoping for: the heat and drought enabled the grapes to ripen perfectly, and the harvest to take place under ideal conditions. The complete opposite to what happened in 2013… The white harvest took place from the 15th to the 19th of September, and the red harvest from the 29th of September to the 10th of October.

The particularly cool temperatures at the end of winter and into spring delayed the shooting and then the flowering by a good ten days compared to the average. And as it also rained a lot during this period, the flowering was slow and the formation of the grapes difficult which caused a generalised “millerandage” and a bad problem of “coulure” - falling of underdeveloped fruit - in the Merlots. This latter phenomenon turned out to be more moderate for the Cabernets. Straightaway, we knew that the 2013 vintage wouldn’t be plentiful…

Fortunately, the summer drought enabled the grapes to catch up some of their lateness: at the moment of changing colour, we didn’t find the same heterogeneity as at the moment of flowering. It is also possible that their low quantity accentuated the catching up. At the beginning of September hope was growing for a harvest, certainly small, but that seemed to be ripening under excellent conditions.

September was paradoxical, relatively dry, but damp at the same time. Frequent small bursts of rain, in fact, maintained a raised ambient humidity without causing too much precipitation. So there was everything to play for until the end of the month when a sudden development of Botrytis led us to a quick start of the harvest ; in the end, the grapes would lose just a few days’ ripening, enough to dash the hopes of a great vintage, not enough to take away all its promises.
The harvest of the whites took place from the 19th to the 27th of September, and that of the reds, from the 30th of September to the 11th of October.

2012 marked the return of a great climatic classicism: a cold winter, especially in February, followed by a very wet spring, then a very dry summer before a return to rainy weather as from September 20th.

The heavy rain which lasted until July 15th, created very favourable conditions for the development of mildew. However this year we intensified our organic programme with great success: not only have we not used any insecticide on the estate for 10 years, but in 2012 we only used one chemical treatment, as opposed to the usual 7 or 8 on the great wine plots. We’re almost there…

From July 15th onwards, the weather was dry and moderately warm but punctuated by a few very hot days. Such conditions are typical of great Bordeaux classic vintages: they allow for the simultaneous ripening and concentration of the grapes. Only the less good terroirs and young vines suffered from the sudden transition from a very wet spring to a very dry summer.

The weather changed again from the first day of autumn: the moderate rains, which fell regularly from September 20th onwards, arrived too late to greatly upset the ripening or health of the grapes, but probably prevented, by a few days, 2012 from being the great vintage it should have been.

The harvest of the whites took place between the 10th and the 14th September, while the harvest of the reds was carried out between the 25th September and the 16th October, just before the weather really deteriorated...

The wine-growing year started with a virtually summery climate, the months of April and May being a lot hotter and drier than normal. The start-up and growth of the vines was, therefore, very quick and flowering was particularly early. Following that, the months of June, July and August were rather cool, but not wet enough, especially at Margaux, to really change the drought status of the vineyard, a characteristic of the vintage. The 26th and 27th of June were hotter than we had ever seen: numerous bunches of grapes, ready to ripen, taking into account the precocity of the vintage, were subjected to intense heat which caused some damage, particularly in the not very vigorous cabernet sauvignon parcels. The dryness of the vineyard after three months of drought probably amplified this phenomenon, of which the consequences remain generally limited. The harvest, which started on the 25th August for the whites, and the 5th September for the reds, benefited from generally hot and dry weather, which allowed plenty of time for the various sorting operations made necessary by the problems of intense heat. Our only disappointment is the quantity: with a yield of 29hl/ha, the 2011 vintage is the smallest harvest for 20 years!

Winter was quite cold and dry, causing some delay in the budding. Mixed weather conditions in the spring made the flowering process uneven and caused a little coulure in some of the older Merlot plots. Yet, as always, the great terroirs appear to have set their own agenda and ignored the vagaries of the weather, enjoying a fast and homogenous flowering process with perfect results. Then again, the Cabernet Sauvignon, which is so well suited to these lands, is not very prone to coulure.

From the end of June until the last grapes were harvested in October, we experienced, once again, the type of drought typical of great Bordeaux vintages. Indeed, while on the one hand, the vines were spared any excess of water, thereby preventing unwanted foliage, they benefited from just enough moisture to favour ripening as well as enhance concentration in the grapes.

While the 2010 weather conditions were reminiscent of 2009 and 2005, vintages are never completely alike. The summer of 2010 was as dry as 2009, yet cooler. The absence of extreme heat combined with cool nights compensated for the drought and probably allowed some of the great terroirs’ young plants to reach a new quality threshold. It also favoured the aromatic character in all grape varieties, particularly in Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet and enabled the maintenance of excellent acidity levels – the perfect foil for high levels of alcohol. (The picking began on 22nd September)

After a cold, dry winter, the weather turned rainy and cool in April, causing a rather late bud-break and a somewhat slow growth of the vine shoots. As from May 1st however, temperatures rose quite sharply and settled above the seasonal norms, without ever reaching excessive highs. This allowed a quick and successful flowering that promised a very even ripening of the berries.
By then a drought had begun to set in, though in these early days we had no idea of how severe and long it would actually be. Very few vintages (apart from the 2005) have been so dry. It hardly rained from July 10th until the end of the harvest on October 14th!
Such dry weather is particularly beneficial to the great terroirs which can regulate the water supply to the vines, and also to Cabernet Sauvignon because it is less affected by drought than Merlot. Still, some of the vines planted in lighter and less clayey soils struggled to get their grapes perfectly ripe.
While these very dry months had some very hot days, the nights remained rather cool. This contrast helped the tannins and anthocyanins to concentrate in the skins of the red. All the pieces were gradually falling into place to make 2009 a really outstanding vintage. (The picking began September 24th).

After quite a dry winter, spring was cool and damp; in fact it was so chilly at the beginning of April that we used our anti-frost sprays on April 7th at Virefougasse, our Sauvignon Blanc plot. May was particularly wet, which heightened the risk of downy mildew at a time when the vines were most vulnerable, so that for the second year in a row, we had to carefully monitor the health of the vines. Nevertheless we continued our research on alternative solutions to chemical sprays; the conditions provided us with an ideal opportunity to do so. The flowering began at the very beginning of June, right on the normal date, although it was partly affected by heavy rains, which were no doubt responsible for the coulure and millerandage observed in some of the Merlot plots. Also, the vines showed fewer potential grapes than last year, so we knew that we were in for a smaller crop. The weather was cool throughout the summer, with temperatures around two degrees below average in July, August and September. July, however, was very dry with barely 10 mm (0.4 of an inch) of rain, whereas in August and up till September 15th, it rained regularly. This chilly and humid weather slowed the colour transformation of the grapes and their ripening process while it gradually affected our spirits…

The especially mild and dry winter brought about an early bud-break for the vines, at least two weeks ahead of an average year, such as 2006. Then, the spring was, as usual, a mixture: March was mild and wet, April very hot and very dry, May mild and very rainy and June just about normal, slightly more humid than average. The flowering was therefore staggered, but the incidence of coulure was minor. Many lesser and great vintages have begun in the same circumstances…

From the end of June on, a period of cool weather with relatively little sunshine set in with frequent rain showers which created the general impression of a « lousy summer ». These weather conditions brought about a high risk of downy mildew, which is fortunately much better controlled nowadays than in the past, as well as vine vegetation growth which kept on shooting right up to the end of August. At this stage we were getting a little concerned, though we are always know from experience that a complete turnaround in the situation in the month of September should not be ruled out…

The pleasant surprise of a fantastic hot and very dry month of September therefore should not have taken us aback –so many good and very good vintages, such as 2002 and 2004 very recently, went through the same scenario! This fine, sunny weather even carried on through to October, enabling us to pick plots very late which had finally reached ripeness at the end of a growing season of record length. (Picking began on September 27th)

After a rather cold winter (particularly during the month of February) but fortunately with more rainfall than in 2005, spring was so dry we almost started to get concerned about a possible lack of water for the vines. But that would have been forgetting just how adaptable vines are during a period of drought, and especially just how well great terroirs manage to even out such climatic extremes. On the other hand, our frost protection system was unable to prevent damage on April 11 at Virefougasse, the plot which produces the Pavillon Blanc, and resulted in a serious reduction in the potential yield.

The flowering, which took place in excellent conditions, promised an average-sized crop of red at picking dates very close to those of the previous two years.

The summer was then hot, even turning into a heat-wave during the last two weeks of July, the weather then cooled a little in August. It was dry, in particular: it rained less in July and August than during that same period in 2003! September brought the usual contrasting types of weather: very hot and dry for the first ten days, then mild and humid until the beginning of the harvest, then sufficiently dry to carry out the picking without any rush. This pattern of weather bears a strange resemblance to that of 1996, which had the same summer rain, the same very favourable weather at the end of August, and exactly the same rainfall from September 1st until the end of the picking. ... (The picking began on 19th September)

The colder than average winter delayed the bud-break by a week compared with the usual dates. Then, a hot, sunny spring brought about even vegetation growth and led to a quick flowering as from the first days of June on exactly the same dates as the previous year. Thanks to excellent weather conditions, the setting was perfect, but the crop potential turned out to be lower than in 2004, displaying significantly fewer bunches per vine.

The weather was fine and sunny throughout the whole of the summer, and above all, particularly dry: barely 100 millimetres of rainfall between May 1 and the beginning of the harvest! We had never seen such weather before. Luckily, the hot weather was not extreme. It doesn't bear thinking what such a drought would have done to the 2003 vintage! But the great terroirs (and this is partly why they are great terroirs) have an amazing capacity to smooth out nature's excesses. They seem to react with the same sense of moderation and balance which is the hallmark of the wines they produce. (Picking began on September 20th)

After quite a late bud-burst, spring was cool and rather dry. The temperatures then went up in late May, while an early and lengthy period of drought set in. As a result, the flowering was quick and the setting went through perfectly, which reinforced our forecasts of an abundant crop. The summer was "normal", in so far as no excessively hot, cool, wet or dry weather was noted. At the end of August, all the potential was there, including the chance of a great vintage. The month of September, which was hot and dry, was therefore decisive, as it often proves in Bordeaux, allowing an even and complete ripening of all the grape varieties. (Picking began on October 1st)

2003 was a very early vintage which will above all be remembered for its exceptionally hot summer weather. Such conditions, which at times were described as extreme, caused many questions to be asked and sometimes gave rise to concerns; however, the greatest terroirs fared remarkably well, producing grapes of perfectly balanced ripeness.

The picking began on September 10, as in 1989, which was the earliest vintage since 1893.

The quite adverse weather conditions during the period of flowering resulted in severe millerandage in the old Merlot plots.

The summer was cool and relatively humid, especially during August. Fortunately however, as from September, hot, dry and sunny weather set in until the end of the harvest. (Picking began on September 30th)

After a very rainy winter, the flowering went quickly and evenly. During the entire summer, there were unusually alternate periods of hot and cool, dry and wet weather, which encouraged vegetation growth and slowed ripening. We harvested eight days behind schedule but in fine weather. (The picking began on 1st October)

April and May were warm and rainy, an early encouragement to downy mildew which was halted by the very dry summer. The absence of rain in August and at the beginning of September was very beneficial for the ripening process and the concentration in the grapes. A few light showers at the beginning of the harvest could not spoil this dream vintage. (The picking began on 25th September)

After an early flowering, the summer was hot and sunny, with isolated rainy spells: optimal conditions to the ripening of the grapes, but also to the onset of downy mildew. From 20th August to 10th September, the very dry weather brought the ripening and the concentration of the grapes to exceptional levels; then heavy rains came until the end of September. (The picking began on 22nd September)

The dates for bud-break, flowering and colour change in the grapes correspond exactly to the averages. What distinguishes this growing season is the exceptional heat and drought during the month of August : the grapes acquired an excellent level of concentration early on. The heavy rain at the end of September came too late to cause significant dilution. (The picking began on 24th September)

After a particularly dry and warm start to the year and an early but long, drawn-out flowering, July was dry and hot and August was rainy and very hot, resulting in the threat of disease in the vines. Fortunately, at the beginning of September, hot and very dry weather set in until the end of the harvest. (The picking began on 15th September)

After a very quick flowering, the summer was unsettled, with alternating periods of hot and cool weather and stormy showers, though less heavy in the Médoc than on the right bank. As from the 1st September, cool and very dry weather set in for three weeks. It then rained and fine weather returned for the harvesting of the Cabernets. (The picking began on 23rd September)

After a very mild winter, the bud-break and flowering were early and even. The whole summer was one of a great vintage: hot and very dry. The quite heavy rain that arrived in the middle of September was without doubt of benefit to the ripening of the grapes. The weather was then superb throughout the harvest. (The picking began on 15th September).

A particularly hot and dry summer and a very early harvest enabled the grapes to reach a remarkable level of concentration and richness. The heavy rain during the picking came too late to cause any real problems for the ripening of the grapes. (The picking began on 13th September)

After an earlier than normal bud-break, the weather conditions were very favourable for the flowering, which was particularly fast and even. July was very dry but cool ; August was very hot and dry. On 10th September, the quality potential was remarkable. Unfortunately, the harvest was very rainy. (The picking began on 19th September)

After a very dry winter, the weather was wet during the flowering, which was long and uneven. The summer was hot, but August was particularly rainy, which affected the health of the vines more than usual. Fine weather never really settled in after that. (The picking began on 29th September)

1991 was the year of the great spring frost on 21st April. The cold delayed vine growth until the end of May. But an extraordinarily hot, dry summer allowed the vegetation to catch up and brought this very small harvest to an excellent level of ripeness. Unfortunately, heavy rain just before the harvest took the shine off what would have been a remarkable vintage. (The picking began on 30th September)

After a mild winter, the flowering was very early but quite long and uneven. As in 1989, the summer was exceptionally hot and so dry that at the end of August the young vines were really suffering from lack of water. The two rainy intervals in September were very beneficial to the final ripening of the grapes, which were harvested in very fine weather. (The picking began on 17th September)

1989 will long be remembered as an exceptionally early vintage and a very easy one, from a vine-growing point of view. The flowering, then the colour-change and the ripening all took place in perfect weather, which was particularly hot and dry. Finally, there was not one single day of rain during the harvest. From beginning to end, then, 1989 was a dream year. (The picking began 11th September)

After a very mild winter and a wet spring, June and the beginning of July were particularly rainy. Then, from mid-July onwards, until the end of September, hot and very dry weather set in. Despite a few light rain showers at the beginning of the harvest, the picking was carried out in excellent conditions. (The picking began 3rd October)

The weather was unsettled for the whole year. Hot weather and dry conditions never really set in, except for a ten-day spell in September, when it was very hot. The harvest began relatively late in difficult conditions with frequent rain showers. Fortunately, the weather was cold, which prevented any rot from developing. (The picking began 5th October)

The very fine summer weather was hardly affected by the brief spell of rain around 20th September, which in the end, may have been more beneficial than we first thought. Immediately afterwards, the fine weather came back and stayed with us for the whole of the harvest time, bringing the grapes to superb ripeness. (The picking began 1st October)

After a quite cool and late start to the growing season, this vintage was influenced by very advantageous ripening and harvesting conditions, especially during the months of September and October, which were very hot and dry. The leaves on the vines refused to fall until late into November. This Indian summer will be remembered a long time. (The picking began on 26th September)

The cold and rainy weather during the flowering caused the worst case of "coulure" in history, i.e. preventing the flower from setting into fruit. Summer was quite hot and sunny, but heavy rain in September hampered the ripening of the grapes. Fortunately, the harvesting was carried out in sunshine, which enabled us to bring in sufficiently ripe grapes in this difficult vintage. (The picking began 1st October)

After a very rainy spring, the month of June was hot and dry, making excellent conditions for the flowering. The summer was hot and humid, almost tropical, thus causing potential risks of disease. Then, as from the 10th September, very fine hot and sunny weather set in, helping the grapes to reach excellent ripeness levels. (The picking began on 29th September)

Throughout the whole year, the weather conditions were very favourable for the vines and for the ripening of the grapes. After an early flowering, the summer was particularly hot, especially in July and during the first two weeks of September. The grapes reached outstanding ripeness levels with, among other feats, a record concentration in sugar. (The picking began 20th September)

The four previous years had been late harvests; 1981 then, was the return to a classic harvesting date. The flowering went quickly and evenly, August was very hot and dry, and after a few rain showers in September, the weather was very good for the whole of the harvest, which began on 1st October.

A disastrous cold, rainy spring held back the flowering, which only took place at the end of June. There was mixed weather in the summer, but fortunately September was sunny and hot. After a rainy start to October, dry, cold weather set in, enabling us to harvest, albeit very late, sufficiently ripe and perfectly healthy grapes. (The picking began 17th October)

The weather conditions were very similar to those in the 1978 vintage: a wet spring, a hot summer in July and cool in August; and a very fine end to the summer. Once again, the grapes just managed to reach a very good level of ripeness. (The picking began 4th October)

The time lost through a particularly cool and wet spring was never made up during the summer, but an exceptional Indian summer enabled sufficiently ripe grapes to be picked in perfectly healthy condition. (The picking began on October 9th)