Bunch of 2018 Cabernet Franc
A generous harvest:
2018 is remarkable in that overall there is both quality and quantity
2018 is remarkable in that overall there is both quality and quantity
– echoes of 1990
Jean-Philippe Blot emptying hand-picked Cabernet Franc @La Butte, Bourgueil
Sorting table @La Butte, Bourgueil
so little rot there is little to do unless
you were badly hit by mildew
so little rot there is little to do unless
you were badly hit by mildew
Last Tuesday picking in Bourgueil and, especially, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil was well underway, although the settled weather was allowing producers to wait for what they judged to be the best time to pick a particular parcel. Some producers were concerned about potential alcohol degrees rising too far – a risk increased by a drying east to north-east wind. Picking in Chinon was less well advanced than in the other two Western Touraine appellations.
2018 starting to ferment @Yannick Amirault
Frédéric Mabileau's new love:
a small wooden vat
a small wooden vat
Philippe Pichard (Jourdan-Pichard, Chinon) inside a vat emptying
out grapes after maceration has finished – Philippe's boots can be just made out
out grapes after maceration has finished – Philippe's boots can be just made out
Starting to empty a vat after maceration – skins etc. will be pressed
