DOMAINE D AUSSIERES The Elegance of the South of France «10th anniversary of the first vintage of Château d Aussières» 2003, THE YEAR OF THE FIRST VINTAGE Ten years ago, Château d Aussières revealed for the first time the potential of the Languedoc terroir and the result of the vineyard work undertaken by Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) since the end of the 1990s. The 2003 vintage of Château d Aussières, the first from the estate, was born of a strict selection of the best vineyard parcels and a blend of local grape varieties: Syrah and Grenache, followed several years later by Mourvèdre and Carignan. 2013, THE AGE OF MATURITY Tasting through 10 years of development at Château d Aussières allows for a measure of the progress made in the vineyard as well as in the cellar: rigorous selection of vineyard parcels and hand picking, gradual changes in the winemaking, with traditional maceration increasingly replacing carbonic maceration, perfecting of the vinification of individual vineyard blocks... the wines reflect this progress across the vintages. Eric Kohler, Technical Director of the Domaine, undertook a vertical tasting of the 10 last vintages and explains: The tasting of the 10 wines produced allows us to assess the work achieved at Domaine d Aussières and to show how our investment in quality has rapidly borne fruit. We can clearly see that the wines have become more powerful and more complex. We feel that year after year we have asserted the style of Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) in the Languedoc, respecting the character, the opulence and the charm of the Corbières, without ever forgetting freshness, fine-grained tannins and balance. Christophe Salin, President and CEO, comments: Domaine d Aussières is the story of an ambition: to produce in the Languedoc a wine in a unique style, taking advantage of the know-how of DBR (Lafite). A wine which can aspire to the status of a First. Ten years later, our gamble seems to have paid off. The result of this search and painstaking work, Château d Aussières today represents the Elegance of the South of France among the wines of Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite).
Tasted in January 2013 by Eric Kohler, Technical Director of Domaine d Aussières Château d Aussières 2003 Syrah 80%, Grenache 20% This year was marked by a heat wave which affected all French vineyards. However, the temperatures in the Languedoc remained more reasonable than elsewhere. It was a very early vintage characterised by very high levels of ripeness. Given the range of grape varieties on the property, the harvest is traditionally long. The Syrah and Grenache were picked in the first half of September. The weather conditions during this period were excellent. Yield: 27 hl/ha depending on the varieties Fermentations: Went well in all the stainless steel vats with long malolactic fermentations Length of maceration: from 10 to 18 days Ageing: 40% of the wine was aged in barrels and 60% in vats Bottling: Spring 2005 Alcoholic Degree: 13 % vol. Total acidity: 2.9 g/l ph: 4.0 Residual sugar: < 2g/l Colour: Showing slight signs of age but still with good intensity. Nose: Very ripe and chocolaty; on the attack the wine is still very much there, surprising. Palate: Remains well structured and still has a certain freshness. The age of the wine is more evident on the finish, but in general the wine is very well balanced, especially taking into account the heat wave conditions and the young age of the vines at the time. Eric Kohler, Technical Director of Domaine d Aussières Château d Aussières 2004 Syrah 85%, Grenache 15% The Languedoc saw untypical climatic conditions in 2004. The winter and spring were rainy with little wind. Summer was marked by the presence of a strong sea breeze, which kept humidity levels high. There was a real lack of heat in the Corbières but the vintage was saved by a very good end of autumn. The Tramontane wind took hold from 15 September and lasted until the end of the vintage. Under these conditions, the harvest was late, about three weeks later than in 2003. Picking took place between 20 September and 15 October in the Corbières. Yield: 33 hl/ha Vinification : traditional Bordeaux method or carbonic maceration depending on the grape varieties Fermentations: Went smoothly in stainless steel or cement vats. Maceration time: 14 to 18 days Ageing : 40% aged in barrels and 60% in vats Bottling: Spring 2006 Alcoholic degree: 13 % vol. Total acidity: 3.44 gr/l ph : 3.71 Residual sugar : < 2gr/l Colour: Slightly lighter colour. Nose: The wine has kept its freshness and menthol aroma. Palate: Clean attack. The palate is a little less structured than the 2003, but this is a less ripe vintage. Even if they are slightly sharp, the tannins are not aggressive. Aromatically the wine is quite developed, but it is held up by its freshness. 2.
Château d Aussières 2005 Syrah 70%, Grenache 20%, Mourvèdre 10% In 2005 the Languedoc enjoyed a model climate for the vine. The winter was hard and windy and these conditions continued until mid-spring. Summer temperatures were average and the growth of the vines was ideal. At the time of the harvest, this vintage had reached an exceptional level of maturity. Picking in the Corbières took place between 15 September and 5 October. Yield: 30 hl/ha Vinification: Classic Bordeaux method or carbonic maceration, according to the grape variety Fermentation: Good overall development, in stainless steel or concrete vats. Maceration time: 15 days Ageing: 40% aged in barrels and 60% in vats. Bottling: Spring 2007 Alcoholic degree: 13.5 % vol. Total acidity: 3.33 gr/l ph: 3.77 Residual sugar: < 2gr/l Colour: Very nice deep and dark colour which has not evolved much over time. Nose: Intense nose, which opens up on agitation. Palate: The attack is complete on the palate and the wine has kept lots of flesh and volume. The finish is a bit more austere but remains elegant. The arrival of the Mourvèdre in the blend has undoubtedly added complexity. The wine is still sound. At the time of this great vintage, so well balanced, we thought that this wine represented the first Grand Vin produced at Aussières. Today, we can confirm it. Château d Aussières 2006 Syrah 75%, Grenache 25% In the Languedoc, the 2006 sticks in the mind as a generous vintage. The winter was very rainy and it stayed cold up until spring, delaying the growth of the vine. Between May and June the weather was very pleasant, providing excellent conditions for flowering. Despite a hot July, a milder and slightly rainy August allowed for good ripening of the grapes. The cloudy spells in September turned out to be perfect for the ripening of the late grape varieties. Picking took place in the Corbières between 10 and 30 September, in good conditions. depending on the grape varieties Fermentations: In concrete or stainless steel vats Maceration time: 12 /14 days Ageing: 40% of the wine aged in barrel, 60% in vats Bottling: Spring 2008 Alcoholic degree: 13.5 % vol. Total acidity: 3.0 g/l PH: 3.88 Residual sugar : < 2g/l Colour: Dark, garnet red. Nose: Typical herby aromas of the Languedoc countryside - garrigues. Palate: Good attack with plenty of vigour. The wine is in the prime of its life and still shows good freshness. It is rather untypical, almost like a Bordeaux. We already observed this during ageing. The finish is long with the tannins still very tight-knit. Château d Aussières 2007 Syrah 60%, Grenache 10%, Mourvèdre 30% In 2007 the Languedoc enjoyed excellent climatic conditions. There was a lack of water throughout the season, but the rare rains came at strategic times, favouring ideal growth of the vine up to harvest. Once more, thanks to a particularly temperate summer, all 3.
the Languedoc grape varieties reached a very good level of ripeness. This particularly well-balanced vintage allowed the explosion in quality of our Mourvèdre vineyard parcels. The Corbières vineyards were harvested between 10 September and 3 October, under excellent conditions. Maceration time: 12 /15 days Ageing: 40% in barrels and 60% in vats Bottling: Spring 2009 Alcoholic degree: 14 % vol. Total acidity: 3.12 gr/l ph: 3.88 Residual sugar: < 2gr/l Colour: Strong, young colour. Nose: Hints of violet and spice, which develop into the typical herby aromas of the Languedoc countryside - garrigues. Palate: The wine is well structured and still has good ageing potential. Once again, this is a nice surprise, as we found this wine very open soon after bottling and we had expected a more rapid development. Long finish with tannins that are perhaps slightly more rustic, perfectly representative of the Languedoc! Château d Aussières 2008 Syrah 58%, Grenache 10%, Mourvèdre 32% The winter and the spring of 2008 were very dry, but luckily heavy rains came at the end of May. Despite a major lack of water in the following period, the few light showers came at just the right moment to favour the growth of the vine. The Tramontane wind and sea breeze followed at the end of summer, with steady sunshine and temperatures rather lower than average. Picking took place under excellent conditions from 15 September to 10 October. Maceration time: 12 /20 days Ageing: 40% in barrels and 60% in vats Bottling: Spring 2010 Alcoholic degree: 14 % vol. Total acidity : 3.19 gr/l ph : 3.84 Residual sugar : < 2gr/l Colour: Deep colour, with no sign of ageing. Nose: Good nose, fresh, with aromas of red fruits, ripe but not too ripe. Palate: Well balanced and clean attack. Plenty of volume on the palate without being over the top, and still very tight. Of the vintages up to now, it is the most complete wine, with the longest finish and without doubt the best ageing potential. With the last two vintages, the Mourvèdre has gained in strength and expressed its qualities in the length and ageing potential of the wine. Château d Aussières 2009 Syrah 59%, Mourvèdre 20%, Grenache 8%, Carignan 13% The climatic conditions were very mixed in the Languedoc in 2009. The winter was quite rainy, which built up good water reserves. 4.
The terrible cyclone Klaus struck in January, during which winds of up to 180km/h (110mph) were recorded, though luckily the Aussières vineyards did not suffer any damage. A rainy spell at the start of the growing season brought the water reserves back into balance and very pleasant temperatures in April and May allowed for good growth of the vine. The summer saw a little rain in the form of localised storms, typical of the Mediterranean climate. The second half of August saw temperatures rise, which speeded up ripening of the earlier grape varieties. The Corbières vineyard parcels were picked between 17 September and 7 October. Maceration time: 12 /20 days Ageing: 40% of the wine aged in barrels and 60% in vats Bottling: Spring/Summer 2011 Alcoholic degree: 14.5 % vol. Total acidity: 3.17 gr/l ph: 3.80 Residual sugar: < 2gr/l Colour: Very deep colour. Nose: Quite closed on the nose with a slight hint of leather, a sign of good ripeness. Palate: Soft on the attack, the wine is opening up generously. It is rich, almost heavy, because of its youth. This reduced freshness is evidence of the high temperatures during the summer of 2009. On the finish, the classic style of Aussières, long and with still silky tannins. The 2009 also saw the addition of the fourth grape variety, Carignan, a classic of the Corbières. Making up 13% of the blend, it really stamps its character on the wine. Château d Aussières 2010 Syrah 65%, Mourvèdre 18%, Grenache 7%, Carignan 10% The 2010 vintage was marked by a cool winter, with sustained cold spells. A mild April contrasted with cold in March and above all in May, where low temperatures, rain and even snow slowed down the growth cycle of the earlier grape varieties. A hot summer, with little rain, did not make up for this delay. In spite of a very wet month of May, rainfall levels were down at the time of picking. The cool terroir of Aussières meant that the vineyard could survive the drought, but the harvest was later than for the previous vintage. Autumn, with warm days and cool nights, allowed for slow ripening with good balance. The parcels that make up Château d Aussières were picked between 17 September and 16 October. Maceration time: up to 21 days Ageing: 40% of the wine aged in barrels and 60% in vats Bottling: Spring/summer 2012 Alcoholic degree: 14.8 % vol. Total acidity: 2.99 g H2SO4/L PH: 3.85 Residual sugar: < 1 g/l Colour: Strong colour with purple hints. Nose: Surprisingly (after 6 months in bottle) the nose is open with notes of violet, pepper and spices. Great freshness of aroma. Palate: The wine is rich and dense. Still closed on the palate, but already showing very good balance between acidity, ripeness and richness. A very harmonious wine with oak and tannins perfectly in balance. We have achieved a further step towards adding complexity, with each of the four grape varieties making its own contribution. 5.
Château d Aussières 2011 (Ageing almost complete) Syrah 66%, Mourvèdre 10%, Grenache 14%, Carignan 10% The 2011 vintage saw a cold winter with markedly low rainfall and irregular sunshine. In spring, unlike other French vineyards, the Languedoc had good rainfall. Mild temperatures speeded up the growing cycle of the wines, which was nearly 15 days ahead of average at the beginning of summer. However, June and July were cold and the vineyard lost the advance it had made before summer. The rains in the summer provided the necessary water for véraison and ripening to take place in good conditions. Picking took place between 17 September and 16 October, during an exceptionally hot autumn. Colour: Very pleasing colour, slightly less intense than previous vintages. Nose: Very good nose with a wide range of red fruits and the typical herby aromas of the Languedoc countryside- garrigues. Palate: Very fine and aromatic attack. The strength of this young wine is more its complexity rather than richness or power. It is a slightly unusual vintage for the region, with more freshness and less ripeness. In 2011 it was important to adapt the winemaking to suit these conditions. This is what we did at Aussières, to try to get the best out of the vintage without going too far. Thanks to this the wine has a good presence on the palate and as always it is perfectly balanced. A good wine, which will probably mature before the 2009 or 2010. Château d Aussières 2012 (Still ageing, not yet blended) The Languedoc enjoyed a fine climate throughout 2012, with no major problems. The summer was hot and dry, except for a few light showers that favoured growth. By September it was clear that the vintage would be somewhat late, and would require patience. When rain came in October, vigilance was required and the harvest had to be brought in quickly. The first of the reds, the Syrah, was harvested starting on 17 September and the Mourvèdre started on 12 October. The good weather in September allowed for very good levels of ripeness in all varieties and the stormy weather in October had little effect in the end. The 2012 wine tasted during this vertical was our first attempt at making the blend. This allowed us to analyse the characteristics of the vintage, but several more blending sessions will be required before we can complete this work and reveal Château d Aussières 2012. DOMAINE D AUSSIERES Départementale 613 Route de l Abbaye de Fontfroide 11100 NARBONNE FRANCE aussieres@lafite.com Website : www.aussieres.com 6.