Chateau Arnauld2018

RED WINE

Description

Two great experts of the terroir, Franck Bijon and Hubert de Boüard, were the driving force behind the renaissance Château Arnauld, purchased in 2007. Franck Bijon identified the potential of 5 hectares along the river’s edge, then selected other exceptional parcels one by one to create an estate of 17.2 hectares of great homogeneity which is now classified Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel.

State of the art technology allows a better understanding of the living raw material and raises it to new heights. Since 2009 it has never failed to amaze those who taste it, and many see in it a potential new “great name”. It is the kind of wine that is best appreciated eyes closed, reconciling intensity and smoothness in a virtuoso expression of the great legends of the Medoc.

Tasting notes

Very nice deep ruby color, dazzling. Nose of black cherry, salted caramel, gingerbread. Full and indulgent on the palate with notes of brioche. Very nice impression of sweetness. Harmonious and generous overall, ending with an elegant and smooth finish.
To be decanted 2 hours before tasting
Enjoy from now until 2023-2028

Vineyard

- 17 hectares of vines
- Soil : a deep layer of Quaternary Gunzian gravel on the Arcins plateau, near the Gironde estuary, which moderates weather conditions here
- Planting density : 10 000 vines per hectare.
- Average age of vines: 40 years old.

Vinification

100% manual harvest with sorting on the vine and two sortings before destemming on harvest conveyor.
100 new barrel ageing for 16 to 18 months.

Vintage

After a rather mild winter without too much rain and a cool start to spring, bud burst started at the beginning of April and was drawn out because of the cool temperatures and a lack of water. This was followed by a very long period of drought from the beginning of May until the middle of veraison, leading to fears for the yield because at the start of veraison the berries were very much smaller than normal (at least 20 to 30%). As from mid veraison, very wet weather followed up until harvest, with cumulative rainfall from July to the end of October of 263.5 mm, an abnormally high quantity not seen in recent years. The berries became larger as from the end of veraison, returning to their normal size.