2011 was one of the hottest, sunniest and, above all, driest of the last forty years. Very warm weather in April and May gave the vegetation cycle a head start: flowering was recorded on 15 May, the earliest date in living memory. Conditions in July and August were very different, bringing less sunshine and significantly more precipitation. By the end of August, however, only 326 mm of rainfall had been recorded since 1 January, compared with an average of 519 mm. Fine weather returned to the Médoc in early September and bright sunshine prevailed throughout the two weeks of the harvest. These auspicious conditions were extremely beneficial, allowing the grapes to ripen fully. Low yields, especially at Mouton, have produced structured, deep and very fresh wines. 2011 is thus a classic Bordeaux vintage, to be ranked among the finer, or perhaps even the finest.