Le Seuil de Mazeyres 2018

2018 was a warm year, with a rainy spring followed by a dry summer. After a rather cool and damp winter, the vines budded late, as the abundance of water in the soil delayed its warming. Rainfall remained very heavy in the spring, accompanied by above-average temperatures. Unfortunately, these conditions were favorable for downy mildew, resulting in crop losses that were partially contained but nonetheless significant. The summer of 2018 was the hottest since 2003. Veraison occurred early, and ripening took place under ideal conditions—namely, dry weather and significant daily temperature fluctuations at night. This promoted the development of polyphenols and produced grapes with high tannin potential.