FROM THE VINE TO THE BOTTLE
LA TAILLE Pruning (November to March)
The pruning begins in mid November once the sap
has left the vine.
In the Medoc, it is customary to prune the vines by leaving 2 branches
with 3 or 5 buds per branch, and 2 small branches on the stump.
This is called "la taille guyot double"
LE PLIAGE Folding process (March to April)
Branches are attached to the lowest wire with either staples, string or "vime".
LE MAILLAGE Stitching (March to April)
The acacia wood stakes are referred to
as "carrassons" and "carrassonnes".
The "carrassonnes" hold 2 wires to hold up
the branches and the "carrassons" hold 1 wire to fold the branches.
The maintenance of the "carrassons"
and the "carrassonnes", the vines, the "culées" and the
wooden stakes holding up the wires at either end of each row is referred
to as "Le Maillage"
LA COMPLANTATION (April to May)
Young plants replace the stumps of dead vines.
LES CAVAILLONS (April to harvest)
The tractor goes through the rows of vines with special attachments to ventilate the soil and remove the weeds.
TREATMENT OF THE VINES
The vines are treated throughout their
vegetative cycle using insecticides and anti-bacterial products in order
to combat mildew and mite disease.
Treatment ceases one month before harvesting.
THE VEGETATIVE CYCLE
LE RELEVAGE (June to September)
This involves tying the branches to the wires.
| LA COUPE
Leaf thinning (June to September)
Branches are trimmed in height and cut across to facilitate various treatments, the beneficial effects of the sunshine and most of all to limit the growth. |
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LES VENDANGES
Harvest (September to October)
Grapes are hand-picked as soon as the grapes
are ripe. |
VINIFICATION
LA FERMENTATION ALCOOLIQUE Alcoholic fermentation
Natural sugars are transformed into alcohol due
to the yeast contained in the grapes combined with the release of carbon
dioxide and an increase in temperature.
The temperature of the vat must remain between 28C and 30C.
During the fermentation process, we release the liquid and pour it back
onto the hard layer of skin and pips in order to extract the tannins and
the colour.
This is done twice a day and takes half an hour each time.
LA MACERATION Maceration
At the end of the alcoholic fermentation, the vat is closed for 3 weeks.
| LES ECOULAGES The
running off process
At the end of the maceration the wine, "vin
de goutte", is run off to separate it from the solids, namely pips
and skins called "marc". |
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LA FERMENTATION MALO-LACTIQUE Malo-lactic fermentation
This starts at a temperature of 18-20C thus requiring
the "chai" to be heated.
It consists of transforming malic acid into lactic acid using malolactic
bacteria.
The aim is to reduce the acidity in the wine thus allowing a better conservation.
Whilst the wine remains in the barrels the "ouillage" and "soutirage"
are carried out.
LE OUILLAGE
Topping up
The wine remains in the barrels for one year.
These barrels are simply closed with a glass bung which causes some of
the wine to evaporate.
The "ouillage" process consists of topping up the barrels with wine to
prevent oxidation.
This is carried out twice a week.
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LE SOUTIRAGE Racking This consists of separating the clear wine from the lees (the deposit found at the bottom of the barrels) every 3 months. LE COLLAGE Fining In March, before bottling, the wine is clarified using egg whites (3 to 4 whites per barrel); the egg whites act as a natural filter for the wine allowing particles to sink to the bottom of the barrel over a period of 40 days.
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L'ASSEMBLAGE Blending
The "vin de presse" is added to the wine in varying quantities every year. The wine is left to mature in barrels for 18 months.
