2019 was a very good year:
After challenging vintages in 2017 and 2018, Bordeaux was blessed with a warm, dry summer and only small amounts of rain occuring at just the right times in the 2019 season. Although it wasn’t straightforward, with heatwaves and some drought periods, there were no extreme disasters like the late spring frost of 2017 or mildew of 2018. Berries on the vine were smaller in 2019 than they were the year before, which means they were more concentrated; grapes were filled with ample sugar but also more acid, more fruit, and more tannin than the previous vintage. These are all important factors that indicate ’19 is a vintage you could cellar for many years to come!
For Château Mille Roses in Haut-Médoc, the season was magnificent and not only did their volume increase but the quality of production improved as well.
The final assemblage for 2019 is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon / 40% Merlot / 10% Petit Verdot.
Other notes:
- Ground work in the vineyard throughout the year is manually completed, and grapes were hand harvested in September
- Wine is aged in French oak barrels for 12 months (with 25% of barrels renewed each year)
- Approximately 4,000 cases were produced in 2019
Read More About
A New Generation of Bordeaux
The Château Mille Roses property has existed as a functioning winery under many different owners since the 18th century, but it wasn’t until 1999 that it was brought back to life by David Faure who inherited the land and its buildings from his aging parents. After studying viticulture and oenology, and after David’s parents passed, he decided to rename the Château as “Mille Roses” (meaning, “Thousand Roses”) to honour his mother’s passion for roses. Over the years with his wife Sophie by his side, David has increase the estate from just 1/2 a hectare of land to the 10 hectares in Haut-Médoc and Margaux appellations they have today.
Location: Mille Roses vineyards are sandwiched between the land of two famous cru classé vineyards, Château Giscours and Château Cantemerle. Outlined in yellow (below) are the 6 hectares of Haut-Médoc vineyard owned by Mille Roses, composed of four different plots of vines. Outlined in orange (below) is a single plot of vines in the southern part of the Margaux appellation.
With the ambition to truly reveal what the terroir provides in this part of Bordeaux, David and Sophie transitioned their vineyards to be completely organic in 2009. Knowing that their neighbouring vineyards also farm organically, instilled plenty of confidence in the Faures, leading them to take the leap and operate more sustainably with their land as well.
“We have the desire to work closer with nature and leave our 3 children more than just a profitable business,
but also a clear conscience about the environment and certain values.”
– David Faure, Owner & Winemaker
Here is an excellent article written by Sophia Longhi about how Mille Roses turned organic almost 15 years ago:
David Faure & Château Mille Roses on the new Bordeaux