The moderately dry climate was marked during the vegetative season by alternating hot and cold spells. Thus the maturation, like all the phases – budburst, flowering and veraison – started slowly and finished in optimal climatic conditions. A beautiful balance on the palate associating fullness and freshness characterized by superb aromas of fruit : 2010 is a great classic.
After a relatively slow budburst, flowering spread over a three week period. Low temperatures in May and early June provoked flower abortion in numerous areas. The last ten days of June and all of July were particularly hot (2°C above normal) which permitted tardy plants to catch up time to the closing of the grape bunch. Then once again, a cold spell interspaced with some fair weather days arrived in August and September which made the veraison long and marked by a certain heterogeneity. Rainfall was down 15% throughout the vegetative period.
The relative dryness in the deep soil maintained the healthy state and continued right up to the harvest. Concern was more focused on diseases of the wood (esca, black dead arm) symptoms of which were seen in high proportions.
Slow in the first phase, maturation gradually accelerated thanks to gentle rain showers and periods of warmer than usual temperatures. The last week was revealed to be of capital importance for the quality of the vintage. In particular, the slightly high acidities were rebalanced by the loss in malic acid while the impressive increase in sugar levels exceeded winemakers’ hopes. The warm nights and sunny days, warm but not excessively hot, refined the maturity of the aromas.
The harvest began on 27 September. It was carried out under sunny skies
Pouilly Fumé 2010 exhales all the richness and aromatic finesse of sauvignon with subtleties (soil type, exposure…). The astonishing fruitiness of the musts can be seen in the wines : exotic fruits (passion, mango), citrus fruits, gun flint, boxwood... Ample and well balanced, supported by a good vivacity, they affirm a presence, firmness and a remarkable length on the palate. Their aging potential is certain.
