Château Le Gay 2020

The smoothness and aromatic profile of a Pomerol red wine

The estate

Located in the Pomerol appellation, Château Le Gay was once owned by the Robin sisters, who were renowned and respected in Pomerol for their expertise and their famous paternal motto, “Quality over quantity.” Today, Château Le Gay is one of the finest wine estates on the right bank of Bordeaux.

The vineyard

The vineyard at Château Le Gay covers 10.5 contiguous hectares. The vines, averaging 40 years of age, are planted on the exceptional clay-gravel soils that have earned the Pomerol appellation its reputation.

The vintage

A mild and rainy winter led to an early budbreak. At the end of March, three wind turbines were activated along with candles to protect against a frost episode. The mild weather at the beginning of April gave a significant boost to the vine’s development. May saw abundant sunshine and a considerable rise in temperatures, resulting in rapid vine growth and uniform flowering. The alternation of these weather conditions led to strong mildew pressure, fortunately limited by fair weather and drying winds during May.

The beginning of June brought a drop in temperatures along with stormy showers. From July 13 onward, hot and dry weather accelerated veraison, reduced the risk of mildew, but caused water stress in young plantings due to lack of rain. The heatwaves and drought of August resulted in severe water stress for plots less than ten years old. Harvesting yielded grapes with optimal ripeness, resulting in a promising vintage despite the extreme weather conditions.

Winemaking and aging

During harvest, double sorting is performed both by bunch and by berry. 100% micro-vinification in new barrels. Pre-fermentation maceration for 7 to 10 days. Extended post-fermentation maceration. Malolactic fermentation is carried out in barrels, as is the aging process.

Blend

Château Le Gay 2020 is 100% Merlot.