The vintages ending with a 9 have always had a particular flavour for the winemakers. And we are pleased to see that 2019 is no exception.
Surely, it has been far from relaxing, and we've had to deal with chaotic weather conditions that enforced us, even more than in the past, to adopt an "haute couture" philosophy in each of our decisions. After a smooth blooming in the beginning of June, a very hot summer followed, alternating periods of severe droughts and beneficial rains, and allowed an exciting ripening of these small concentrated and juicy bays on both Merlot and Cabernet vines. The harvest began on September 17th, under an even more rigorous and detailed protocol that allowed us to collect grapes with a perfect ripeness in each parcel. The fermentations in barrels ("vinification intégrale") or wooden vats passed off smoothly with, from the beginning, a purity of the fruit and an elegance of tannins that have subjugated us. This will, undoubtedly, be a great vintage for Rouget.
The terroirs dedicated to Le Carillon de Rouget are more aerial than the ones selected for Château Rouget. This, combined with the relative youth of the vines, compared to the ones of the Grand Vin, result in earlier ripening and give the wine its roundness and appealing character.
85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc
Planting density: 3 000 vines per acre / 7 500 vines per hectare
Average age of vines: 20 years
Vineyards are sustainably farmed, using practices such as cover crops and ploughing.
Grapes are harvested by hand, in small 20kg crates. Each plot is harvested individually in order to ensure optimal ripeness of the entire crop. Grapes are then sorted carefully.
Grapes from different parcels are vinified separately in stainless steel tanks, then aged in oak barrels (second fill) for 18 months. This vintage was bottled on a fruit day according to the lunar calendar, to allow the wine to express itself fully.
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