Our new roadside sign celebrates the bio-diversity of the flora and fauna at Rives-Blanques, protected by Europe’s Natura 2000 programme. But, alas, Natura 2000 cannot protect us from Nature herself, as we have learned to our cost.
A TRIO WITH BRIO!
Hardly a month after winning Decanter’s gold medal and a hard-hitting 95 points for our Limoux chardonnay, our other two Limoux single varietals go and shoot off a return volley of 96 points and 91 Decanter points each. Both the chenin blanc and the mauzac are included in the magazine’s “My Top 30 Languedoc Whites”, with the chenin blanc, Dédicace, at the very top of the class in the No.1 slot. Rosemary George, MW, a great Languedoc specialist and author of the ultimate book on the the wines of the Languedoc, made the selection and we are all savouring to the hilt this unique moment in the sun for our three single varietal Limoux wines.
THE BANE OF RAIN
Right up to the beginning of this month, we had enough rain to float a fleet, and enough heavy humidity to sink a ship. Statisticians dive into their statistics and generations-old vineyards trawl their collective memories, and everyone agrees: no one has ever seen anything like this ever before. These conditions make organic warfare against humidity-borne disease such as mildew almost as impossible as it is depressing. Worst of all, it translates into a huge loss of grapes – not just for us but for most of the organic growers we know.
After last year’s slim pickings, what we really wanted this year is a really, really good harvest.
HAMMERED BY HAIL
And than Black Tuesday came along last week, bringing hail of truly awful intensity to the Aude Valley. Some people got it full on: 70% of Limoux’s vineyards were seriously affected. We ourselves have lost about 30% of what escaped the mildew, less than many but still a very sobering reminder that Rives-Blanques is neither impervious nor impermeable. Our Chamber of Agriculture has officially advised growers that “nothing can be done” to save a situation so succinctly described by the local press as une catastrophe.
THE HOTSPOT:
Looking on the bright side, here is Kim Neenan, our lovely multi-lingual assistant, who will be leading the Tuesday Talk, Tour and Tutored Tasting (reservations really necessary, please!) over the next couple of weeks, while most of the family retreats to West Cork to mentally prepare for the great adventure ahead: Harvest 2018. Wine-maker and vineyard manager, Jan-Ailbe, stays behind to hold the fort and keep an eye on the farm, so there will always be someone here ready, willing, and happy to help you.
LA VIE EN ROSE!
It’s great to finish off with good news, and how good it is to see our mauzac, Occitania written up by the respected British national newspaper The Independent, as one of its “interesting and unusual” 9 white wines for the season, something to put the sun back into the summer! And to find our Vintage Rose ranked at the very top of the list of the region’s pink fizz in the French wine and food magazine Terre de Vins “rosés for summer” selection!