The winter of 2018 was the coldest we have had since 2010, mainly due to particularly severe weather in February. It was very rainy, with endless showers that continued throughout the spring. To find such wet conditions at the beginning of the season, you would have to go back to 2001. As a result, there was an unusually high threat of mildew that persisted from May into July. Such violent outbreaks of mildew had not been seen within living memory. Fortunately, the situation significantly improved over the summer, thanks to dry, hot weather which enabled us to restore the vineyard’s health and produce excellent quality grapes.

After a fairly mild winter, there were two nights of severe frost in the spring, on 26 and 27 April, which inflicted major damage on Bordeaux’s vineyards. Rieussec escaped relatively lightly, with only 15% of the vines being affected.
Conditions then became excellent, with higher than usual temperatures, and balanced, well-spaced rainfall. Flowering began ten days earlier than usual, on 28 May.
After some heavy rain at the end of June, temperatures remained lower than normal throughout the summer, but it never became cold.
By the end of August, the positive effect of this cool, fresh year was apparent in Sauternes. The rainy spell in mid-September was ideal, falling on the perfectly ripe, healthy grapes, it enabled the botrytis to get off to an excellent start.
The dry, cool weather then returned, and the vines progressed perfectly; the grapes’ flavours became concentrated as they were harvested in rounds of selective picking; the harvests were historically fast, revealing a vintage with exceptional aromatic intensity.
The harvests took place from 26 September to 12 October.

After very varied weather in 2015, 2016 proved to be a more uniform vintage throughout the Gironde region. This was a year that brought both quantity and quality, but was not without its fair share of surprises. The beginning of the winter was extremely mild and wet from December to the end of January, suggesting that bud break would be early. Fortunately, a cold spell arrived in February and continued until bud break around 8 April, resulting in a few frosts in the surrounding area. The summer was characterized by extreme dryness. The vines endured water stress for two months until the end of veraison. Lasting longer than in 2015, the heat wave could have affected the ripening process. But to our great relief, some rain finally arrived on 13th September. The growth cycle could therefore be completed without hindrance. The weather remained warm and dry, and so the botrytis was very late to develop; the best rounds of selective picking took place between 20th and 28th October. The vinifications took place in ideal conditions, and the great potential of a vintage that had been something of a dark horse was finally revealed.

The winter of 2014-2015 started out mild and dry. But, as is often the case, February brought colder weather, slowing down growth, even to the extent that bud break was delayed.

Spring was warm and fine, but too dry, almost exposing the vines to water stress. Fortunately, there was some rain at the beginning of June, which created ideal conditions for flowering. The summer was very hot until mid-August.

Significant rainfall from November to February completely restored groundwater reserves, which had already been substantially replenished by average or higher than average rain in 2012 and 2013. Temperatures remained above normal and the vines missed the hearty winter frosts; what we really wanted were about two weeks of crisp mornings with beautiful sunshine, dry cold and no wind. But you cannot control nature!

Bud break was early, followed by uniform flowering during the first week of June, spurred on by a rise in temperatures.

As always, the impact of the weather on the vineyard was our primary concern, and our teams worked throughout the year to ensure that the grapes reach maturity in perfect health.

The onset of ripening occurred over two periods, first in late July and then again after 15 August, creating differences in the ripeness of the bunches on the same vine.

The very wet, cold winter resulted in work in the vineyard being considerably delayed; bud break was late, and flowering was three weeks later than the average for the last 50 years; the changeable weather resulted in some flower abortion and uneven grape size, and therefore in lower potential yields than usual. Then at the end of June, the weather suddenly changed, and it was as if we were in the middle of the summer, with no transition, although there were a lot of localized storms.

The harvest period put our technicians in a cold sweat: rain, sun, and a long, slow ripening, which became difficult to manage with an “explosive” outbreak of botrytis in late September! Fortunately, the sorting teams were very efficient despite the difficult harvest conditions. The selective picking continued to the end of October with excellent botrytisation.

A difficult year. The first challenge was a hail storm on 24 April, and then a late flowering (10 June) in damp conditions, which had a direct, negative impact on potential yields.
June and July brought alternating heat and humidity, which was very favourable for the growth of fungi: downy mildew and powdery mildew in the vineyards, but also ceps and chanterelles in the woods! Protection against disease was difficult, and the wine growers and vineyard managers had to apply all of their skills and experience to work with the rules that we set in our “Sustainable Development” charter.
At the end of August, in beautiful warm weather, the onset of ripening was uneven, resulting in difficulties at the sorting stage, and particularly complex choices regarding the order in which plots were harvested.

Despite everyone’s best efforts, these conditions did not allow us to produce a first wine (Château Rieussec) for this vintage; however, it was possible to salvage a pleasant, fruity, floral Carmes de Rieussec.

The beginning of the vines’ cycle was complex to manage, being characterized by relatively low rainfall from January to March and very little rain in April. The morning dew combined with low humidity and high temperatures created favourable conditions for the development of powdery mildew (a cryptogamic disease), requiring extreme vigilance in the vineyard. There was sporadic rain in August and September, creating humidity that was conducive to the growth of botrytis; this was followed by a beautiful Indian summer which enabled us to wait for optimal ripeness and to spread the harvests over an extended period (with 7 selective pickings) until 2 November.

The 2010 vintage was somewhat similar to the 2009. The start of the growing season was complex and difficult to manage through to mid-June, due to high rainfall. Then July, August and September were very dry (20mm on average), with high daytime temperatures and cool nights, ideal conditions for the slow but complete ripening of the grapes.

The beginning of the growth cycle was somewhat tricky. The technical team had to be particularly vigilant in order to protect the vines. Fine, stable weather returned in June but conditions became drought like, interspersed in July, August and September with welcome periods of light rain. Daily hot temperatures combined with fairly cool nights enabled slow ripening.

Frost during the spring affected the quantities of grapes and yields. In August, we benefited from good weather conditions while the late summer was characterised by mild temperatures. September was hot and sunny which resulted in a good degree of ripeness.

After a normal winter and an exceptionally mild April, 2007 was comparatively cool from June to August, with below average temperatures and sunshine. However, a warm and sunny September and October enabled the harvest to fully ripen without any problems. In the end, the weather conditions offered the potential for a great vintage.

Autumn and winter were characterized by a significant lack of rain. This situation was then compensated by heavy rain in March. From April to July, the weather was fine and warm. August was cooler but then sunny weather from the beginning of September enabled the grapes to fully ripen.

The end of 2004 and the first few months of 2005 were very dry, with only 127 mm of rainfall recorded from December 2004 to the end of March! The growth cycle therefore began with very few reserves. Average temperatures were comparable to 2004 and much lower than in 2003.

The weather in the first few months of the year was similar to 2003, with warm temperatures and average rainfall. After a wet April, June and July were dry but August had higher than average rainfall. September was fine but not excessively hot, allowing the grapes to ripen slowly.

2003 will be remembered for its heat wave and the low rainfall, resulting in exceptionally early harvests.

2002 was characterized by uncertain weather conditions, the initially mixed weather became very good as the ripening period approached. After a warm, dry winter, bud break was early but a relatively cold, rainy period during flowering brought some flower abortion and uneven grape size. July and August were generally cooler than usual, but fortunately were followed by a wonderful September favourable for the development of botrytis: dry, with heat and sun in the daytime, and cool temperatures at night.