Château Cartier 2018

2018 was a warm year, with a rainy spring followed by a dry summer. After a rather cool and damp winter, the vines budded late, as the abundance of water in the soil delayed its warming. Rainfall remained very heavy in the spring, accompanied by above-average temperatures. Unfortunately, these conditions were favorable for downy mildew, leading to crop losses that were partially contained but nonetheless very real. The summer of 2018 was the hottest since 2003. Veraison occurred early, and ripening took place under ideal conditions—namely, dry weather and significant daily temperature fluctuations at night. This promotes the development of polyphenols and yields grapes with high tannin potential, endowed with a southern character that must not be accentuated during winemaking. The challenge with this vintage was to preserve the wine’s full freshness.