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Beaujolais-villages 2020

CHARDONNAY

click on one of the vintages below for further information
2016   2017   2018   2019   2020   2021   2022  

Terroir

Château de Pierreux’s 110 hectares of vines are planted in shallow, well-drained pink granitic, schistous, and siliceous soils which contain deposits of blue porphyry from the volcanic eruptions of Mont Brouilly that date back millions of years.

Three parcels, with promising soil, make up this Beaujolais-Villages Blanc.
« Le Roux », 0,5 hectares, mainly granite soil with clay.
« Le Savigny », 0,7 hectares, principally limestone with some clay.
« Le Gonnu », 2,2 hectares, chiefly on pink granite. This plot facing east-southeast.


Since the 2020 vintage, a fourth parcel has been added:
«Le grand Vernay», 2.9 hecatres, predominantly clay-limestone soil.

The estate was certified High Environmental Value (HVE) in 2020.

The vineyard

Planting density: 8,400 vines/ha & 6,000 vines/ha for "Le Grand Vernay".
Age of the vines: 11 years & 4 years for "Le Grand Vernay".
Pruning: Guyot.

Work philosophy: Growing methods are decided upon vineyard by vineyard according to lutte raisonnée, an environmentally friendly approach. Everything is analysed in detail: risk of disease, the number of harmful and beneficial insects that can be found in each vineyard, the size and number of bunches of grapes per vine, problems with weeds, the health of the vines’ leaves, etc.
Working of the soil: de-earthing, scraping, hoeing between the vines.

This philosophy has 3 objectives:
     - limiting the use of chemicals in the vineyards,
     - re-establishing the vines’ physiological balance,
     - protecting the environment


Varietals

Chardonnay

Tasting

With a beautiful golden color, this white Beaujolais-Villages offers us intense aromas of white flowers on the nose, then evolves into notes of vine peach and pear. The full, round and very fat palate reveals a pleasant smoothness. Subtle woody notes sign an opulent finish.

Vinification and ageing

After pressing, the musts are cold-set and then slow-fermented at a low temperature (12-16 ° C). 2/3 of the volume produced is vinified in demi muids (450L) and the rest in vats.
Aging for 9 months on fine lees. One third in new, one third in one wine barrel and the last third in 2 wine barels.
The blend of the 4 cuvées was carried out 1 month before the bottling in June 2021.


Vintage : 2020

The year 2020 will have been unprecedented for everyone, including in viticulture!
After a very mild winter leading to early bud burst. Spring was also hot, dry and very sunny. June was more contrasted, showing itself to be cold, rainy then scorching, dry and very sunny. The beginning of flowering was very early, around May 20th. The start of veraison was noted around July 18th. The month of July was relatively hot and very dry, with rare and heterogeneous precipitation (3rd driest month of July since 1964). The month of August was contrasted, hot to very hot the first two weeks, then cool from August 28. The rainfall was very irregular, with much lower than normal rainfall but very variable from one area of ​​the vineyard to another.
The 2020 harvest is marked by heterogeneity from one plot to another, due to the great diversity of the terroirs, with their own resistance to drought and some rains that have fallen here and there. Indicators of water stress have never been so pronounced. The harvest at the Château began on August 24! The phenolic maturity was perfect. Certain cuvées reached 15 ° -16 ° C! The alcoholic fermentations were slow and laborious… but what a vintage!


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