2014 A surprising vintage ! The beginning of 2014 is characterized by a particularly mild and rainy winter. The temperatures are unusually mild. The vegetation wakes up and grows at huge speed. Bud break is around 20th of March with an advance of 3 weeks. Spring is warm and dry; we remain vigilant and monitor the water stress. April and May claim the beginning of the season. The vine grows well and we see a good grape output. Flowering is exceptionally prolific: the harvest looks to be plentiful!In May and June, we start lacking water but the vine is beautiful and continues to grow. A temperamental summer upsets all our forecasts. The sun is not so hot with rainy days. The advance gained at the beginning of the season is reduced due to the lack of sunlight and the large number of wine grapes. In the last two weeks of August, the weather is hot and dry – that relaunches maturity.At beginning of September, the few rain showers have little impact but then, the weather is changeable and capricious (fog and rain) – we have to pick the right time to harvest. The big harvest allows sorting meticulously the grapes. Finally, the grapes are picked only a few days later than last year, a historically late vintage. The big harvesting requires strong management at the winery. Grenache are aromatic and rich. Richness, fruit and balance are the big words for this vintage. Each year’s vintage reflects a deft winemaking approach that adapts to Mother Nature’s needs. This year is a good example: the winemakers’ work and ‘savoir-faire’ have been essential for the success of this vintage. Copyright : Laurent Philis – Philis Œnologie à Gigondas