Nature & Work
In the vineyard,
The roots of the terroir
If you are good at counting, you will have already seen that Pascal has several years of experience under his belt! He grew up in a wine family, learning firsthand the work involved, then continued his studies at school in the eighties. At the time, manual work still held a key place in the cultivation of the vine and chemical products were commonly used as the prevailing wisdom thought it necessary.
However, Pascal questioned these methods even then and began to reflect on their necessity. He participated early on in a study group which examined whether chemical products were necessary and how to do without them in the nineties. He then began to plow the soil again and systematically reduce the doses and frequency of treatments, favoring as much as possible the transition to organic farming.
Today we apply this ‘all natural’ philosophy but without certification. We are by nature even-handed, cautious, and yet realistic. We refer to the lunar calendar to decide on tasks whether in the vineyards or in the cellar. We treat with sulfur and copper except in the event of a specific and exceptional problem. We work the soil to control grass growth.
We continue to develop our thinking and we are passionate about agro-ecology because it opens new perspectives for us. We cannot say that the essence of wine comes only from the grape, forgetting that the grape comes from the soil on which the vine grew. Today more than ever, the name “winegrower” takes on its fundamental meaning: it is in the vineyard that the vintage is created.
The harvest,
The origin of the wine
Pascal is accustomed to vinifying both white and red wines. As we sample and taste our grapes on à regular basis, the harvest date is determined according to the two main criteria of maturity which are the sugar level and the acidity: high enough sugar and high enough acidity to guarantee the freshness of the wine.
White harvest
The grapes are transported to the cave as quickly as possible. The pressing is done with a pneumatic press.
Fermentation in oak takes place at a low temperature (18 to 22°C maximum) to preserve maximum finesse and aromas.
Red harvest
With a variable proportion of whole bunch harvest up to the total destemming, the harvest is cooled to 12°C from the vatting in order to proceed with a cold maceration for 3 to 6 days. Then the temperature goes up slowly, the maximum being around 32 – 34°C.
Pumping over is done repeatedly throughout the fermentation stage to homogenize the must.
The alcoholic fermentation is ensured by natural wild yeasts to favor the expression of the terroir. The vatting period varies from 15 to 21 days and the de-vatting date is determined by tasting.
And in the cellars,
Make way for emotion
The whites
All aging takes place in oak barrels, 10 to 25% of which are new depending on the cuvées and vintages. We are increasingly using 350-litre barrels (instead of the classic 228-litre Burgundy barrels) which are ideal for keeping the wine fresh and bringing great finesse to most of our white cuvées.
After 13 to 18 months, a possible fining and light filtration are carried out before bottling. The dates of intervention (racking and bottling) are chosen based on the lunar cycle.
The reds
The aging lasts between 15 and 18 months, entirely in oak barrels with a proportion of 15 to 25% new wood for the 1er crus and 10 to 20% for the village-appellation wines. The oaky note is indeed sought just to bring a “plus” to the complexity of the wine but not to mask its terroir.
Before bottling, which we do ourselves, a light filtration takes place. As with the whites, the dates of intervention (racking and bottling) are chosen based on the lunar cycle.
