Work into the wineyard and wine-making process
Our balanced and complete wines are traditionally vinified. Totally de-stemmed, with a long vinification (2 to 3 weeks in open vats), they are then aged for 15 months (half in new oak barrels). They are pleasant and fruity for the young vintages, but well structured enough to ensure good ageing.
Fertilizer: Organic fertilizer is used exclusively on the sandy slopes in order to maintain the structure of the soil. On average our vines are over 50 years old and their roots draw their nutrition from deep down in the ground.
Cultivation: The vineyards are ploughed in winter and hoed in the spring. Grass is then left to grow naturally between the rows and a light tractor, (limiting soil compaction), is used to hold it back from invading the vines.
Pruning: A preliminary pruning is carried out in autumn, followed-up by a thorough pruning in March. The canes are burnt to prevent any risk of infection.
Treatments: Curative only. We use rational management methods relying on natural or very specific products. ‘Pheronomes’ are diffused around the vineyards to provoke sexual confusion in certain insects eliminating the need to use insecticides.
Grape Harvest: Picking is manual, de-stemming is very gentle and there is no crushing.
Fermentation: Natural fermentation is long, lasting from 2 to 3 weeks. The cap is punched manually and a stainless steel pneumatic press presses out at low pressure (2kg/cm²), ensuring fine lees on which the wine will mature for 15 months removing the need for filtration. New oak and oak barrels under 5 years old are used for the maturing process.
Bottling: Bottling takes place on the estate with the assistance of a specialised bottling company. New bottles are strerilised and the wine introduced under air-tight conditions. Top quality corks from Spain are then used.
Conclusion: As one can see from the above description, every effort goes into producing wines to lie down which will develop and be enhanced over the decades provided they are laid down in a cellar maintained at a constant temperature.