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2009 vintage: A Rich and Generous Vintage

August and September’s ideal weather and a limited yield make 2009 an exceptional vintage: these wines with their fresh, refined aromas and powerful palate, exhibit the remarkable natural richness of the grapes.

The Viticultural Season

The principal vegetative stages (budburst, flowering, veraison, maturity) occurred up to 2 days earlier than the average of the last fifteen years.
Following a relatively cold and dry winter, April began with three weeks of temperatures 3°C higher than the norm. May was also warm. June and July were normal for the season while higher than usual temperatures appeared again in mid-August. While not excessive, precipitation often arrived in the form of thunderstorms leaving 20 mm to 30 mm of rain which broke the dry spells. Unfortunately, hail accompanied all of the storms and devastated certain areas on 7 March and 16 July. The vineyards of Menetou-Salon, southwestern Sancerre area, northern parts of Pouilly-Fumé and the vineyards of the Coteaux du Giennois situated in the Nièvre administrative department were particularly affected. The regular watering maintained the humidity of the soil at a sufficient level until the veraison. A dry period progressively arrived becoming more pronounced at the end of the harvest.
Mildew was a constant threat and remained a concern throughout the season. The dry months of August and September preserved the excellent sanitary state of the crop.
Overall, the yields were among the lowest seen in recent years.

Ripening

Sugar levels progressed very rapidly and attained particularly high levels; one must go back to the famous 1947 vintage to find such high concentrations thorough the entire crop. Acidity levels remained in place primarily thanks to cool nights during the first half of September and the dry period. Only a few cuvees picked at the very end of the harvest lacked a little acidity. These conditions also helped maintain the fleshy texture of the berries, a characteristic that we generally find in the wines.

The Harvest

The start of harvesting was spread over two weeks. Reuilly and Quincy were first starting between 12 and 15 September. Next was Pouilly-sur-Loire beginning on 16 September, then Sancerre, Coteaux du Giennois and Châteaumeillant from the 21st and finally Menetou- Salon on the 23rd of the month. Most grapes were harvested between 25 September and 3 October. The last were picked on 12 October.
With the balance between the sugars and acidities being obtained in all cases, the principal deciding factor as to when to pick each parcel became the aromatic maturity for the whites and the phenolic maturity for the reds. This decision was made even more comfortable for the winemakers because of a stable high pressure zone that had moved into the area and maintained the dry weather.

First Impressions

A strong constitution and vinosity characterize the wines of this vintage, a vintage for the record books.
The whites display sober aromas and a great finesse. Fruity notes (white fruits and tropical fruits for example) dominate. Floral and mineral nuances, sometimes with light vegetal notes, add to this lovely olfactory freshness. The mouth is generous: a harmonious attack, then rich and fleshy, even warm, finishing on a lively balance.
The reds, with a deep ruby robe often with violet highlights, reveal concentration. Red fruits and spicy notes mark the nose. Tannins are tender in wines from chalk soils or wines with light extractions while the wines from chalky-clay and flinty-clay soils, or from more prolonged macerations, are austere. Full-bodied and solid, these are wines for aging.

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