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Chateau Yquem - Francis Mayeur
 The
2005 harvest at
Chateau
Yquem -
Sauternes
- Barsac
At
Chateau Yquem, weather
during the 2005 growing season was extremely dry with only 487
mm of rain between Nov. 2004 and Oct. 2005. Breaking previous
records, this amounts to less than 40% of an average year with
only two months out of 12 with average rainfall. 2005 is thus
ranked as the second driest year after 1897 (after 1906 and just
ahead of 1989, both of which were great years at Yquem).
Temperatures, at
Chateau Yquem as has often been the case over past 20 years,
were much higher than average. 2005 was the 5th hottest
vintage
in 110 years (behind 2003, 1949, 1921 and 1899, all of which
were very great vintages).
The
grapes at
Chateau Yquem were evenly distributed on the vines and didn't necessitate
green harvesting. The hot weather prevalent in early summer became more measured
in August. This lowered the risk of hydric stress, while maintening precious
acid levels. The first week of September was dry and hot at
Chateau Yquem. This was followed
by tepid showers from the 8th to the 12th which set the stage for an
explosion of botrytis. Fortunately, however, a very cool and windy week from
Sept. 13th limited the spread of
noble rot and stopped things from spinning
out of control.
The
harvest began on September 19th and 20th at
Chateau Yquem, with small quantities of Sauvignon
grapes that were already very concentrated. This first quick wave of picking
(100
hectares covered in just two days) enabled us to leave perfectly
ripe
grapes on the vine, and gave
botrytis cinerea time to develop throughout the
vineyard. At
Chateau Yquem, temperatures rose again from the 26th to the 30th of September,
and we began a second wave of picking on early-maturing plots with gravel
soil, once again mostly Sauvignon. This second wave would prove to
yield a
considerable amount of fruit.
Ideal
weather continued at
Chateau
Yquem and a third wave of picking began between October 3rd and
5th during which we finished picking practically all the grapes in those
plots ready to be harvested. A pause lasting until October 8th enabled
grapes on the later-ripening clay soil plots on the Northern and Eastern
slopes to reach full maturity.
The
4th wave of picking lasted from October 8th to the 12th at
Chateau Yquem. This took place in
the heart of the estate. The juice from these plots of Sémillon grapes
displayed a rare and impressively concentrated aromatic purity. The showers
on October 12th and 13th brought about a new burst of
botrytis on the rest
of the crop. The weather was almost summerlike at this time. The remaining
grapes became concentrated very quickly and the
harvest continued from October 24th to the 28th at
Chateau Yquem.
In
conclusion, 2005 is an extremely promising
vintage at
Chateau
Yquem. Every
separate plot was able to develop at its own thythme and
concentration was absolutely optimum in all parts of the
vineyard. Nothing was forced or rushed because of the weather,
or due to
noble rot proliferating at breakneck speed. This
enormous potential will be brought into focus after careful
blending. This promises to be a passionate exercice in light of
a
vintage that is so rich, diverse and complex.
Francis
Mayeur - Technical Director of Chateau
Yquem
http://www.yquem.fr/
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