Maison Tardieu Laurent - Saint Joseph - Vieilles Vignes 2001

The vintage

A completely atypical Vintage when it comes to the weather conditions…
A most delicate year, even for knowledgeable Vignerons. After a warm and dry summer 2001, autumn sees little rain, and the lack of rain during winter 2001- 2002 aggravates the shortage of water - the rains are down by 20%, compared with a normal year -, and the beginning of the vegetative cycle takes place under especially high temperatures.
Reversal of this situation occurs in the course of the summer period, spoilt by very heavy precipitation. Rains in July 2002 have made it possible to solve problems due to the lack of water. Rains in August 2002 have caused a deterioration of the berries. An exceptionally wet month of September 2002 - with the thunderstorms of September 8th and 9th - has not made it possible to harvest in fair conditions. On the contrary, it has contributed to the progress of diseases during the phase of maturing of the berries. The cold and Mistral wind that have accompanied the end of the harvest - on September 25th - have had the effect of drying up the bunches of grapes, of stopping the decline of the berries, which, then, began concentrating… Unfortunately, the crop was nearly finished.
Once again, the most demanding, meticulous, and, finally, hard-working Vignerons have achieved the best results.
In the old Vines, in Vines where they grow grass, in Vines whose leaves had been removed, these skilled Vignerons have harvested berries that enable them to produce a Wine definitely worthy of interest in this - yet - most tricky vintage.
The problem is that such Wines are rare… By comparison with 2001, our purchases of 2002 have been reduced by over 75%... The remaining 25% - old Vines exclusively - will make it possible to taste amazing bottles of 2002,
wines which pay homage to the Great Terroirs of the Vallée du Rhône. A Great Terroir is also characterized by its ability to take advantage of the weather conditions - whatever they are - to add to the variety of its expression…
But scarcity is the price to pay…

Terroir

Sarras, Châteaubourg.

Ageing

New barrels Magic cask.