Le Carquelin

While February was overall normal in terms of rainfall, March was much wetter, mainly in the first two thirds.
The mildness reappeared in April, thus favoring the budburst of the vine between the 11th and the 16th, which is quite late. The vine grows fast, in line with the balmy temperatures of April and early May, despite the lack of rain. Rains become frequent from the second fortnight of May until mid-June. Mildness is stable during this period, except at the end of May.
Flowering begins early in these humid and mild conditions, between May 26th and 31st. Balmy temperatures in early June allow flowering to be completed quickly (in about a week). The end of June is mild and dry. July is warmer than normal and not very much watered, except for the second third. The end of the month is very hot, which favors the beginning of the veraison, between the 19th and the 28th, and thus confirms that the vintage is an early one.
The beginning of August is even warmer but the next two weeks are closer to normal. August is dry, September is dry and hot. The conditions are ideal for the harvest, which starts at the Domaine Labruyère on August 30th.