Château de Rayne Vigneau 2020

All the freshness and aromatic complexity of a Premier Grand Cru Classé from Sauternes

The property

The Château de Rayne Vigneau is located in the town of Bomme, overlooking the Sauternes appellation. Established in the 17th century, the estate has passed through the hands of several illustrious families such as the Pontac family, intimately linked to the great wines of Bordeaux. Today, the château belongs to the Trésor du Patrimoine group.

The vineyard

Château de Rayne Vigneau 2020 comes from the 84-hectare vineyard on a single hill overlooking the Sauternais. This vineyard rests on a mosaic of terroirs. On the heights, we find clay-gravel soils, while at lower altitudes, the vines are planted on clay-sandy soils with lacustrine limestone subsoils. The vineyard is managed using sustainable farming practices with intra-plot management.

The vintage

The 2020 vintage began with a winter marked by rain and mild temperatures. Spring also followed this trend. The beginning of the season is therefore characterized by its warmth and humidity, leading to an early start to the vegetative cycle. The bud break of the vines took place around March 15. Flowering is also exceptionally early. The summer season is hot and dry, suggesting an early harvest. This is the case for the Sauvignon grape, which was harvested between August 19 and September 2 at Château de Rayne Vigneau. This vintage remains etched in memory, particularly because of the great freshness and aromatic complexity it brings to the wines.

Vinification and aging

Each year, the vines patiently await the appearance of botrytis, better known as noble rot, for the harvest to begin. Each grain selected directly in the vineyards by hand is harvested at perfect maturity. Then, each batch is pressed and the berries are vinified in new barrels. At the end of the different fermentations, a settling is carried out followed by a stabilization of the must. Finally, the wine ages for 18 months in oak barrels. The wood used is 30% new.

Blend

Sémillon (76%), Sauvignon Blanc (24%) and a hint of Muscadelle.