CHÂTEAU D'ARMAILHAC

70 Cabernet Sauvignon, 15 Merlot, 13 Cabernet Franc, 2 Petit Verdot: 50% new oak for 18 months: 13.5% alc: 3.75 pH: Harvested 7 – 30 September The weather in Pauillac was not as challenging as some said.  You only have to look at the beautiful Lafite Rothschild rainfall ‘artwork’ in this Report to see that it was not too pressured.  In fact, only 15% more rainfall than average fell in June, so mildew was not too much of a problem, particularly if you could keep your vineyards ‘clean’.  The heat spell in the third week of August assimilated some of the malic acid, and by early September, Merlot was ready to harvest.  They started on the 7th but only brought in a few plots as most of the thicker sins needed more hang time.  As it turned out, there was below-normal rainfall in September, and the 30mm that fell in the middle of the month reset the Merlots at 14.5-15% and stopped them ripening further instead of diluting flavours.  By the morning of the 23rd, they had only picked 32% of the crop: Merlot, some Cabernet Franc, and some younger vine Cabernet Sauvignon. All the Cabernet was picked under high pressure, with decent daytime temperatures balanced by cool nights. Some delicious Merlot made the cut, but the blend is built around a superb Cabernet Sauvignon core; in fact, it is the joint highest Cabernet Sauvignon recipe alongside the 2002 vintage. All the old vine Cabernet Franc was used, so just taking the varietal mix into account, this is a fabulously Cabernet-dominant wine, and the tannins are as firm as you would expect.  This modern classic has lithe flanks and a sleek feel throughout, topped with active acidity and integrated tannins.  It is not as dark as the Mouton duo, with some lovely red fruited highlights, and there is a coolness and faint mintiness, which refreshes the taste buds and perks up the senses. As a postscript – I heard a great analysis of the critical human decisions made in September from Technical Director Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy. He noted that if you had a well-drilled vineyard team, you could confidently roll the dice in September. There would be a severe threat of botrytis if the predicted 90mm fell mid-month.  Even if 90mm did fall, great teams would have a small window to get in and harvest their crop.  D’Armailhac (including Mouton and Clerc Milon) can move fast, so there was no panic at all.  As it turned out, only 30mm fell, and as the fruit benefitted from a longer hang time, they trusted their vineyards and teams to let it all hang out!  All the great-tasting fruit across these estates was harvested at the end of September, so skill, experience and confidence won through!  Of course, Jean-Emmanuel hinted that these decisions depend on your psychology as much as your nerve, but he said it wouldn’t be fun without a bit of jeopardy thrown in for good measure, and this is why 2023 d’Armailhac is such an impactful wine. Rating: 18+ Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (May 2024)