CELLAR SECRETS
PRECISION & OUR SIGNATURE
CELLAR SECRETS
PRECISION & OUR SIGNATURE
THE VAT ROOM
Our vat room contains fifty-eight stainless steel vats of which the biggest are of 172 or 204 hectolitre capacity. They contain the freshly-harvested grapes to begin the fermentation process.
In the vats, the grapes, sorted plot by plot and by variety, are transformed from grape juice into wine. Precise control of temperature allows our cellar-master to keep an eye on the fermentations and thus optimize the expression of our terroir.
THE BARREL-CELLAR
Silence reigns in the barrel-cellar and the cocktail of aromas is everywhere. We must be patient and allow nature to take her course. In fact 9 months in the barrel are required for our Graves white, and 12 to 18 months for our Graves reds.
The oak for the barrels is supplied by the best forests in France. We insist upon working with six different cooperage partners. The diversity in the origins of the wood renders ageing more complex but allows us to adapt the characteristics of each oak to different grape varieties. Our sole objective is to make a wine that ressembles us: gourmet and generous.
BLENDING
Blending different wines is the magic of the winemaker's art. It is a discipline that requires rigour and concentration. Tasting allows us to determine the characteristics of each batch and attribute an identity or a quality which could be beneficial to a finished product.
We decide upon our blends at different stages in the vinification and ageing processes, but the most important blending is the final association. The smooth, rich, and silky batches will adore those with more pronounced tannins or with a higher degree of acidity. One make of barrel will construct more up-front flavour, another will favour length on the palate, etc. What is certain is that the wine is always enhanced after blending.
