Le Carillon de Rouget
2010 is an outstanding vintage for Château Rouget, comparable to the memorable 1961 and 1947. The ripening process was very regular, with optimal acidity and pH. The terroir have managed to free themselves from the weather conditions to deliver fruit quality that was beyond all expectations. The harvest date was difficult to predict as the phenolic ripeness was dissociated from the alcoholic ripeness. We chose to preserve balance and fruitiness to be even more elegant than 2009 and 2005. At the end, the harvest occured in two steps, starting on September 28th for the earliest plots, and carried on after October 10th for the rest. By October 15th, the whole harvest was inside before the change in the weather conditions.
Terroir
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.
Grape Varieties
85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc
Planting density: 3 000 vines per acre / 7 500 vines per hectare
Average age of vines: 20 yearsSoil management
Vineyards are sustainably farmed, using practices such as cover crops and ploughing.
Harvests
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.
Winemaking & Ageing
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.
Tasting Notes
(Tasted in September 2012)
Le Carillon de Rouget has a distinct personality from Château Rouget. More forthcoming in its youth, it has an elegant and delicate tannic structure, that seduces the palate. It is silky, ample, with a pleasant freshness on the finish.
It is mouthwatering wine, that can be aged for the next ten years.
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