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Wednesday 31 August 2011

Back in Bordeaux ...

... and our Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris and Semillon have all been harvested in the Entre Deux Mers. The first to come in was the Sauvignon Blanc and some really explosive asparagus and grassy flavours already obvious in the juice. James had cooled the juice down to 5 degrees and settled out the large sediment what they call ‘gros lies’ in French. This morning, we racked carefully the cold juice under a blanket of protective CO2 into the insulated stainless steel tanker headed for the Chai. Back in the Chai, cellar master Denis had prepared the vats and had them ice cold and full of more CO2.

It’s such a fantastic feeling to have the first juice entering the Chai – rather like the opening ceremony of the harvest – and everyone was eager to be the first to taste! Meanwhile James was back out to check the Semillon and Sauvignon Gris and whilst the sediment settles out, which will take 36 hours, I am going to make another dash down to the Midi to meet Maitena and select this years La Voute Chardonnay in Limoux.

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