“There were storms in early September. But the rain and hail were localized. On the whole it was a dry summer. Rumors of a “difficult” season were exaggerated”.

2011 was a really strange growing season. We had very little rain and hot temperatures in April, May and June. Fortunately, enough rain fell during the véraison.

We experienced summer in the spring and spring during the summer. Early fall was reminiscent of a sub-tropical climate. This weather created great challenges to keep the vines healthy and nutritionally balanced.

“2011 Leoville Poyferre will be more in the classical style of 2010 Bordeaux, with great freshness and very silky tannins in the Cabernet Sauvignon”

“The stress does not affect the quality. But it reduces the yield. This means at Chateau d’Issan, our 2011 Bordeaux harvest will be a smaller harvest than normal”.

2011 Bordeaux is not so simple to handle. For the last two Bordeaux vintages, 2010 and 2009, Mother Nature was very kind to us. This year, in 2011, it is not exactly the same thing.

“2011 Bordeaux was certainly shaped by the spring draught. But it is very different from a vintage such as 2003. Luckily we had rain during the veraison, which is the best time for the vines”.