Anseillan 2018
The vintage
On the eve of the celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of the acquisition of Château Lafite by the Rothschild family, our teams faced major challenges due to the capricious weather conditions.
From December to July, unremitting rain increased the risk of mildew and hail. The summer only really started in mid-July with very high, sometimes extreme heat, which helped to restore the vines’ health and set us on the path to a great vintage. New measures were taken to improve the selection of the batches in the Carruades vineyard for the 2018 vintage. Every possible effort was made to achieve greater precision and potential in the final blend.
Location
Pauillac is located on the left bank of the Gironde estuary, approximately 40km North of Bordeaux. With the tempering influence of the estuary and a great diversity of soils originated from both the Massif Central and the Pyrenees, Pauillac boasts exceptional climatic and geological conditions to make outstanding wines.
Terroir
The village of Anseillan lies to the east of Lafite Rothschild, between the Château and the Gironde. This area presents a wide variety of terroirs which are the subject of much thought and research. Cooler and later because of their northern exposure, they are also more clayey than Lafite’s classic terroirs. This diversity is particularly interesting because it offers plots that are suited to all four of our main grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit, and Petit Verdot. This terroir and our teams’ work give Anseillan’s wine a unique style and excellent complexity.
Winemaking
Anseillan is made according to the traditional Bordeaux method. Alcoholic fermentation is conducted in wooden, concrete and stainless steel vats. Gentle pumping-over helps to ensure a soft extraction and is carried out according to the specific characteristics of each tank. Total maceration time lasts for about 20 days. After malolactic fermentation, wines are transfered into French oak barrels made by the Tonnelleries des Domaines in Pauillac for a period of 16 months approximately.
Grapes
Tasting
Deep and dark in color, almost black. Nice brightness. Before aeration, the nose is already intense, a sign of the start of opening. After aeration, it becomes even more expressive with notes of cherries. We can still distinguish some smoky notes of the barrel ageing, then spices from the Petit-Verdot which makes up 13% of this blend. Well balanced on the palate, with lots of volume thanks to the Merlot, and a great structure and freshness brought by the Cabernet Sauvignon, which gives the length that is characteristic of Pauillac. Still young but already very accessible, this wine will be at its peak between 2023 and 2028.
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