2012 Bordeaux Chateau L’Enclos uses Micro Vinification in Pomerol

Jeff Leve From the growing season point of view, in Pomerol, what previous vintage does the 2012 Chateau L’Enclos remind you of?

Jean Christophe Meyrou “The 2012 Bordeaux growing season began like the 2000 vintage.  They had an Indian summer and similar to what took place in 2008, the harvest was late. We did not start picking the until the middle of October.”

Jeff Leve What special vineyard techniques do you need to do when the flowering is uneven, as it was this year?

Jean Christophe Meyrou “What we needed to do was truly quite simple, we conducted two green harvests. The first was in July. This helped avoid high yields.  We conducted a second green harvest in August. The August green harvest is for the purpose of cutting off bunches that are not going to fully ripen.  All of that adds up to a lot more work and a lot less wine this year, but the wine is the wine possible we can produce.”

Jeff Leve As your terroirs are spread out in Pomerol, which of your terroirs performed best in 2012?

Jean Christophe Meyrou “In Pomerol, we are very pleased the results from the clay and gravel parcels that are located close to Chateau Clinet as well as our plots situated near Chateau Nenin.”

Jeff Leve When did you start and finish harvesting the 2012 L’Enclos?

Jean Christophe Meyrou “We started to pick our young vine Merlot October 9. We completed the harvest 3 days later, October 12.”

Jeff Leve What was the weather like during picking?

Jean Christophe Meyrou “We did not have much sun, but we did not have rain either. This was OK as it helped to avoid oxidation of the berries.”

Jeff Leve To harvest at Chateau L’Enclos, how many pickers do you bring in to work the harvest?

Jean Christophe Meyrou “We hired 25 workers to help with the 2012 Bordeaux harvest.”

Jeff Leve Did you use optical sorting technology in Pomerol with the 2012 L’Enclos?

Jean Christophe Meyrou “We used the optical sorting table again, along with  two manual sorting tables.  It was much easier this year.”

Jeff Leve How did the late harvest affect your Right Bank properties?

Jean Christophe Meyrou “We experienced a combination of warm days which helped with the maturity, and cold nights which adds acidity. We have great concentration with high IPT and tannins.”

Jeff Leve What percentage of micro vinification are you doing with the 2012 L’Enclos?

Jean Christophe Meyrou “We purchased enough 500 liter Burgundy barrels to let us micro vinify 25% of the 2012 L’Enclos harvest. In St. Emilion, at Chateau Fonplegade, we are also practicing micro vinification. But we are only doing 15% of the harvest at Fonplegade.”

Jeff Leve With all the sorting and two green harvest’s, what are your yields with the 2012 L’Enclos?

Jean Christophe Meyrou “This is the problem with the vintage. In Pomerol we should reach between 28 hectoliters per hectare and 30 hectoliters per hectare. The goal is 35 hectoliters per hectare.”

Jeff Leve What are your alcohol levels with the 2012 L’Enclos?

Jean Christophe Meyrou “In Pomerol we should reach 13.5 % alcohol. We are a little higher in St. Emilion at 14%.”

Jeff Leve What are you doing as far as the vinification and elevage?

Jean Christophe Meyrou “For this vintage, the fruit will undergo a 5 day, cold maceration. The wine will receive 3 manual pigeages and three pumping overs with a peristaltic pump. A hot maceration that will be between 28 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius and malolactic fermentation will take place in barrel.”