A warm growing season has led to one of the earliest harvests in recent memory, mirroring characteristics of the famed 2015 vintage.
“The 2020 vintage is quite exciting because it’s a vintage with great potential in quantity and of course in quality,” says winemaker and technical director Cédric Blanc. “I am seeing the same vintage characteristics as 2015 which is possibly the best Lagrezétte vintage.”
Blanc has been sampling grapes to monitor the ripening and decide on the harvest dates. Harvest of the white grapes has already begun, which followed by rosé grapes in mid-September, and finally red grapes likely next week.
“The Muscat we picked last week was very ripe and expressive and the Viognier is already really interesting with good acidity and sugar levels,” says Blanc. “We are picking the Viognier grapes two or three weeks in advance of previous vintages. The balance is very good for the rosé grapes as well, with acidity at pH 3.40 and sugar levels 12.5%. The Viognier will be ready to pick next week and then we will follow with the first red grapes from the Landiech estate. The Malbec is already showing great flavors. Sugar levels are currently at 14% (240g/L) and the pH is around 3.60 but the tannins are still ripening. The past weekend brought rain so I will be doing some more analysis next week to see the impact of the rains on the concentration of pH and sugar and the evolution of the tannins.”
Conditions are said to have been near-perfect. While work in the chai was underway and barrels were being prepared, the dry, hot summer lent itself to advanced flower set, and the late rains aided in maturity. Blanc watched closely and had this to say about what’s sure to be a vintage for the books, “The vine growth cycle started earlier than the other years so during the season I had to adopt different operations in the vineyard but the result will be fantastic!”
Chateau Lagrézette in Cahors, France was rediscovered by Alain Dominique Perrin in 1979. Upon learning of the superior soil and aspect he had come to own, Lagrézette became the home of some of the most exceptional wines in Cahors, as well as the world over.
Chateau Lagrézette is famed for putting Cahors on the map for wine lovers. From the accessible Purple Malbec to the iconic luxury Le Pigeonnier, each wine is an example of great quality and a testament to the renaissance of the region.
Lagrézette is defined by three distinct terroirs on each of its vineyards—Caillac, Rocamadour and Landiech. A predominance of Kimmeridgian limestone (as in Chablis) runs throughout each vineyard.
