Château Cartier 2013

Winter and early spring were cold, with slightly above-average rainfall, which caused a delay in vegetative growth. Rainfall was heavy in May and June, both in terms of total precipitation and the number of rainy days (28 days in the Libourne region over the two months). Heavy rains around the time of flowering (more than 120 mm in a week in some areas) caused exceptional levels of fruit drop and small-berried fruit. The humidity was combined with low temperatures, which—despite high disease pressure—helped prevent an explosive outbreak of downy mildew. The summer, though late, was hot and sunny, with frequent thunderstorms in July and early August. These summer conditions allowed for rapid growth and helped make up for some of the delay in the growing cycle. Veraison was slow to set in due to moisture in the soil. The fall was wet. It was necessary to bring forward the harvest on certain plots, as the grapes became highly susceptible to gray mold as they approached optimal ripeness.