Château Fonroque 2018

2018 was a warm year, rainy in the spring and dry during the summer.
Following a generally cool and damp winter, bud break occurred late, as the abundance of water in the soils delayed their warming. Rainfall remained very heavy throughout the spring, accompanied by above-average temperatures. These conditions were highly favorable for mildew, but biodynamics allowed us to significantly mitigate losses. With the arrival of summer, dry weather set in, making it the hottest season recorded since 2003.
However, the year did not suffer from the blockages seen back then, as spring rains adequately maintained soil moisture reserves. Veraison was early, and ripening took place under ideal conditions: dry weather and significant diurnal temperature variation at night, which is very favorable for the proper development of polyphenols. This weather produced grapes with high tannic potential and a southern character, which required care during winemaking to avoid over-accentuating.
The key to success was preserving freshness.