Growing Conditions
Rainy first fortnight of winter with normal season temperature. Mild March provokes early budburst. Thanks to approximity to the Gironde, two dangerous episodes of hail in April only scarcelly affected vines of Gruaud Larose. Humid spring along with its frequent rains could have caused problmes of Mildieu but thanks to the dry conditions in July and August the danger was avoided. Heat waves were disrupted by summer storms which helped to manage water stress until the beginning of the harvest. Some rain on the last week end before the harvest restored "metabolism" of the vines
Integrated Pest Control (mechanical work, organic fertilisation), Weather Station (phytosanitary protection), Prophylaxis (thinning out the leaves, removal of excess buds and shoots, green harvest). Heightening of the trellis. Manual harvesting, selection on a belt in the vineyard and double sorting at the harvest reception. 100% of the surface is managed according to the principles of Organic and Biodynamic Agriculture. The estate is in conversion to organic production since 2019.
Garonne gravel from the first quaternary, settled more than 600 000 years ago.
Harvest
Double reception of harvest and weighing of the crop. Plot selection in the tank (grape variety, terroir, age, ...)
Winemaking
- Tanks: 50% wood | 50% cement (thermo-regulated tanks)
- Alcoholic fermentation: Yeast addition | Fermentation temperatures: 24°C - 26°C | Daily tasting of each tank
- Maceration: 20 - 30 days at adapted temperatures | Work on the lees in the grape-pomace during the maceration period after fermentation
- Pressing: 3 vertical presses | Immediate transfer of the press wine into barrels | Tasting and selection of three press wines among the barrels
- Malolactic fermentation: Together with the alcoholic fermentation by co- inoculation
Aging
18 - 24 months in French, fine grain, oak barrels (80% new, the rest 1-2 years old)
