Le Roc de Chateau Puybarbe Magnum 2019

Profile:

Eyes: Deep, intense red Nose: Woody, with slow aromas of ripe black fruit

Palate: Complex and full-bodied, boasting of dark fruits, blackberries, black cherries, and a hint of spice

Finish: Bold and structured tannins with a classic balance

Body: Medium

Acidity: Medium

Tannin: Medium

Dryness: Dry

What’s In It: Merlot 76%, Cabernet Sauvignon 22%, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec

How It Was Made:

Vintage: Followed by a mild and rainy winter, the spring started early with almost summer-like conditions – the budburst took place already mid-March, three weeks earlier than normal. The cool period from early April to mid-May 2019 slowed down the growth. The return of warm weather from mid-May onwards led to rapid flowering, a guarantee of quality. The high temperatures in early June accelerated the vine growth and overall, the summer 2019 will be remembered because of the two periods of extreme heat – the Canicule – with afternoon temperatures well over 40C. Furthermore, there was no rain from mid-June until end of September. These conditions resulted to perfectly ripe, relatively thick-skinned, highly concentrated grapes resembling the years 2015 and 2009.

Vineyard: The vineyards sit on a south-sloping sun-drenched plateau. Vines are planted at 5,000 plants per hectare in calcareous-clay soils. Average age of vines is 29 years, oldest parcels 75 years. The vineyard is managed sustainably. Natural weeds between the rows absorb excess moisture and promote microbial life in the soil. The vines are pruned to the double Guyot method, cultivated according to sustainable viticulture practices and with a strict control of yields on a plot-by-plot basis.

Winemaking: Meticulously selected grapes entered first a 5-day cold maceration, followed by temperature-controlled fermentation to retain the purity of fruit, elegance and freshness. Long and gentle 45-day extraction, parcel by parcel vinification, racking three times and aging in French oak barrels (100 % 3rd and 4th round) for 12 months prior bottling and additional aging for 8 months in bottles.