Despite the heatwave, the vineyard resisted well thanks to the clay sub-soil which remained cool.
The grapes were sorted in the vineyard and on reception, so as to keep only perfectly healthy berries. All the berries damaged by the sun and raisined were set aside. It represented considerable work which brought satisfaction. Saint-Estèphe is renowned for its 2003 vintage which reconciled ripeness and freshness.
Re-tasting notes from 2014 by the Wine Advocate: “A legitimate ‘sleeper’ that is still young and rich. This 2003 possesses lots of cassis, earth and mineral characteristics in its smoky, spicy, vibrant young personality. It has reached its plateau of full maturity where it should remain for another decade. This would have been a great buy in 2003!”
