| Fourtet 2007 • March 2008 | FOURTET
1st Great Classified Growth
2007 vintage
Geographical situation:
On the limestone-clay plateau opposite the church of Saint Emilion.
Surface area:
20 hectares (49.4 acres), of which 19 hectares (46.93 acres) are in production.
Density of plantation:
6,000 plants per hectare.
Grape varieties:
85 % Merlot,
10 % Cabernet Sauvignon,
5 % Cabernet Franc.
Average age of the vines:
30 years.
Vineyard management:
Clos Fourtet practises sustainable viticulture methods for its vineyard. Grass is seeded between the rows, while the soil directly between the vine plants is ploughed.
The vines are pruned with two long canes, which are later de-budded to the required number of buds. They are de-leafed on the east-facing side at the end of June, and on the west-facing side at the end of August. Crop thinning is carried out at the beginning of the grape colour change. This all results in evenly spread out grapes which are well ventilated for good ripening.
Weather conditions:
We had 20 days of frost, half of which occurred in mid-December and the other half at the end of January. Overall, the winter was relatively mild. February was very rainy (120mm/4.72 inches) which enabled water reserves to be topped up. April was hot and dry. From May until the end of August it rained very regularly while the summer temperatures were not very high apart from a few days when the thermometer went slightly over 32°C. From August 30 to September 22, hot, dry weather set in.
During the harvest a few isolated showers interrupted the picking of the grapes.
Growing season:
The bud-break began late March. The weather in April enabled vine vegetation growth to catch up to the normal schedule. From May until the end of August, downy mildew pressure was present at levels we had not witnessed for 16 years. The few downy mildew spots on leaves had no adverse effects on the quality potential of the grapes. The early flowering promised a harvest in early September, but the vagaries of the climate delayed grape colour-change, and fortunately September enabled a slow and quality final phase of ripening. The picking took place between October 3 and October 12, 2007.
Vinification:
We carried out pre-fermentation, cold macerations of 2 days, after which the alcoholic fermentations began. This was the first year for a long time that the core of the must fermented quickly, leading us to punch down the cap of skins several times per day in some vats in order to get a good extraction.
Blending:
80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc.
Tasting:
Deep colour, intense nose with red berry fruit: blackcurrants, blackberries.
Fat and ample on the palate with fine, coated tannins that envelop the mouth. An elegant finish with liquorice and mineral notes.
Contact
Clos Fourtet – 1 Châtelet Sud – 33330 Saint-Emilion
Tel : +33 (0) 557 247 090 – Fax : +33 (0) 557 744 652
E-mail : closfourtet@closfourtet.com
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