“2011 will be a more classical styled Bordeaux vintage. The main advantage of this 2011 vintage is its precocity”.

We used a new density-sorting machine, the Triabe system which sorts fruit based on the levels of sugar concentration. It runs the grapes through a bath using specific gravity or density, it separates ripe berries from the less ripe ones while washing the berries as they go through the bath and removes impurities, petioles, rotten skins, etc.

2011 Bordeaux is a sorting vintage! It is also a winemaker vintage. If we want to keep fruit and elegance, the difficult part is not to extract too much.

“Our goal is always to produce a delicate and refined wine at Chateau Palmer, instead of a big monster Bordeaux wine”.

2011 Bordeaux really isn’t as early as some people are claiming. In May and June the grapes were maturing ahead of schedule. But July and August were cold and slowed the vines’ development.

“My grand-father has always told me that an early vintage is a good vintage. An early vintage allows me to wait for the perfect ripeness as the weather is usually more stable in September”.

With our clay and limestone soils, the vineyards were in good shape. At the end of the harvest, if we controlled the yield and do a good job in the cellar, the results will allow us to make a good wine”.