Chateau
liversan
2018

Chateau
liversan
2018

bottle-chateau-liversan

Climatic conditions

So much water! This was the year when everything changed: in a flash, we went from London spring to Sevillian summer! Winter was cold with intense frosts and well-provisioned water reserves. From December to March, around 500 millimetres of rain fell when on average, the Médoc receives 800 millimetres in a whole year. Soils warmed slowly, as did budburst. May and June: hellish conditions with rain and mildew. Part of the harvest was destroyed before flowering, and it was only thanks to flawless protection, a hint of intuition and a pinch of luck, that we reached July with a healthy vineyard! It was worth it, because the coin flipped at this point: sunshine and heat, until the end of October. A miracle took place… what a vintage!

For more to be less, we had to learn how not to wait… The vineyard was ready on September 27th. The hot soils delivered a perfect harvest. Freshness and typicity were our guiding lights for vatting. Without going overboard for opulent, heavy wine, we read the tone and depth of the plant matter.

Vintage presentation

The wine is black in colour, with aromas which plunge us into a universe of black fruit and ripe tannins, expressing the gravelly soil: the vintage gains depth. We have reached our target with this well-structured, very elegant wine.

From the vine to the glass

Fermentation was smooth, at lower temperature than normal, and pumping over was measured: constraint-free, the skins released anthocyanins and tannins. Maceration lasted for around 15 days, with everything well and truly there. Alcohol and acidity balance were perfect… a star (vintage) was born. At Liversan, maturing perfects the natural palatability of wines. Gently toasted barrels were chosen to bring a touch of refining sweetness to the youthful titan. So, back to work now, before the next appointment for final blending in December or January.

Tasting

Power at the service of softness. A London spring and a Sevillian summer. Our vineyard, installed on filtering surface horizons, was able to absorb the excess rain at the start of the season and then take wonderful advantage of the high water stresses of the maturity phase. A very intense red color almost black. An expressive nose with aromas of black fruits. On the palate, a nice attack brought by Merlots with silky tannins. The wine surprises with its freshness that accompanies the mid-palate to a long and delicate finish. The balance between maturity and freshness, concentration and elegance makes 2018 a deep and airy wine. The subtlety of this terroir.

PConcours international de Lyon – Médaille d’argent
Challenge International du Vin – Médaille d’argent
Decanter – Médaille d’argent – 91 pts
James Suckling – 92 pts

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