Winemaking
GRAPE PICKING
The grapes are harvested exclusively by hand. Grape picking generally begins by the 20th of September and is completed by the end of October. Selective picking is adopted to ensure that only botrytised grapes are selected (4 or 5 pickings).
PRESSING
The harvested grapes are selected according to their qualities and then placed into wine-presses to extract the must.
SETTLING THE JUICES
The juices are stocked in a tank overnight to allow the principal impurities to sediment. The purified wine is then placed in vats. Deposits that remain in the tank and must not filter through into the barrels.
FERMENTING
Fermentation takes place in barrels. Select yeasts are employed according to the grape variety and the sugar content. Fermentation can last from 15 days to 1 month.
FORTIFICATION
This process consists of destroying the yeast cultures to keep the sugars in the wine. Cold, sulfur or racking is used to clarify the wine.
RACKING
Racking is used to clarify the wine. Barrels are cleaned after being emptied of their content. The wine then returns to the clean barrels.
TOPPING
Each week the barrels are topped off to compensate for loss due to evaporation.
BLENDING
Each wine batch is them blended according to its gustatory and analytical qualities, in order to create well balanced wines.
BOTTLING
Bottling takes place after 18 months of maturing in oak barrels.
