Chateau Ferriere Grand Cru Classé 2011, Margaux, Bordeaux, France

Chateau Ferrière was founded in the 18th century by Gabriel Ferriere. He was a shipbroker and a King officer in charge of hunting. The vineyard was progressively enlarged by his cousin Jean, the mayor of Bordeaux in 1792. At his death, the property was sold by the court due to joint ownership and under age heirs. His widow, Marie bought it. She had three heirs : Gabriel, Michel and Rosa. 2011: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc. Vinification: Traditional in concrete and wooden vats, whose volumes are proportional to the plots. Fermentation on skins: 19-24 days. Ageing: In oak barrels for 18 months. 40 % of new oak. Winter and Spring were dry. Since the beginning, climatic conditions predicted an early vintage. The water deficit worsened a little more up to July and the high temperatures in June made the vine suffered. The Merlot sagged after flowering because of these unusual dryness and heat. 2011 experienced unusual weather conditions that ultimately benefited many Cabernet Sauvignons. The grapes had a very good concentration of phenol compounds and very elegant tannins. The challenge of this vintage was a very strict sorting of the grapes. However, there is a lower yield (- 10%) due to the weather, and the berries were rather small with a thick skin.