Château-Plince Pomerol 2020

Château Plince has a beautiful grand château on its property in Pomerol, originally constructed in the 19th century. Owned by the Moreau family who purchased this Right Bank estate from the Rouchut family, Plince is a 8.6-hectare (21 acre) vineyard planted to 72% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. The terroir is mostly sand with some iron in the soil. On average the vines are close to 23 years of age. The vineyard is planted to a vine density that remains close to 6,000 vines per hectare. The property is located close to Château Nenin. 

Château Plince practices green harvesting and crop thinning to reduce yields as part of its vineyard management program. Vinification takes place in eight, traditional, temperature-controlled, cement vats that range in size from 62 hectoliters up to 132 hectoliters. Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrels. Plince is aged in an average of 50% new, French oak barrels for between 12 and 18 months, depending on the quality, character, and style of the vintage. About 4,000 cases of Pomerol wine per vintage. While Château Plince is owned and managed by the Moreau family, the sales and marketing of their wine are handled by Ets. Moueix. who have done so for many decades.  

The winter of 2019-2020 was the warmest in France since the beginning of the 20th century. It followed a very wet fall that replenished soil water reserves. January and February were exceptionally warm and dry, bringing on an early budbreak. Spring was warm and rainy, with precipitations that were significantly above average. Flowering took place very early. Fruit set was even and abundant, portending good yields. Green harvesting and precise grooming of the vines in the early summer were useful to rectify the irregularities of the budbreak and even out the yields. Summer was exceptionally hot and dry with virtually no rainfall in July. Welcome rain in mid-August ensured the grapes were able to reach full maturity. From the end of August, cool nights allowed the accumulation of sugar and anthocyanines in the berries to resume while preventing the deterioration of acids. The weather in September allowed for a serene harvest from the 16th to the 22nd.