VINS HODGSON, LES AUSSIGOUINS 2023

About 2023

2023 will go down as one of the most complex vintages in recent memory. The “sortie de grappe” was generous and the fruit set successful, presenting an abundance of fruit. Mildew was a problem which required constant observation and frequent intervention, both manually and by copper application. These issues compounded when, just before harvest, we received significant rainfall combined with unusually high temperatures.

The grapes became fragile and susceptible to insects, including drosophilia which will cause a “pourriature acétique” in the fruit. The harvest needed to be started early and was sorted at the moment of picking, with all affected grapes and unripe grapes left out of the bins. For this, the harvest required extra time, management, and surveillance than usual. We count ourselves fortunate to have had a dedicated team who understood the problem and worked hard to pick a healthy harvest!

Blending was done in September of the following year and the wines remained in tank until bottling in April 2025. We have chosen to extend the time “en masse” an extra 6 months to allow the wine to further stabilise before bottling.

Les Aussigouins 2023

In the particularly complicated vintage 2023 the parcel Les Aussigouins held up well, in part due to its placement and exposition which allowed for good ventilation of the grapes at a moment of intense humidity and temperature. The wine was fermented primarily in foudre, with some juice going into small barrels (10% new). A standout.