During the harvest, the grapes are hand-picked,
and then sorted in the vines before going to the winery.
The three grape varieties grown on the domaine are vinified
differently, depending on the type of terroir, the vintage
and the age of the vines.
Each terroir is vinified separately and the best will
then be bottled separately, when the vines are at least
10 years old. If the vintage is not exceptional, we blend
the wines. We do not add yeasts to our wines, and the
use of SO2 and chaptalisation are kept to a strict minimum.
White wines (Chardonnay)
The grapes are pressed immediately, in order to avoid
any changes in the wine. Then the juice is sent down
to the oak barrels where both the first (alcoholic)
and second (malolactic) fermentations take place. Each
barrel contains 228 litres (300 bottles). After the
second fermentation, the wines are racked and either
put back into barrels (single vineyard wines) or into
vats (Mâcon Villages). The best cuvees of the
domaine then spend a second winter in barrels before
being bottled, without fining or filtration.
Red wines (Gamay and Pinot Noir)
Upon arrival at the winery, the gamay grapes are put
into small vats (50hl) without being destemmed. They
are first macerated on the skins, and then fermented
(alcoholic), before being pressed 6 to 30 days later,
depending on the vintage. During this time, the grapes
are treaded by foot or using a long plunger once or
twice a day.
The Pinot Noir grapes are destemmed before undergoing
a maceration and alcoholic fermentation of a minimum
of 15 days. After being pressed, the wines are matured
for 11 to 18 months, and are then bottled without fining.
The wines are either gently filtered, if necessary,
or not at all, and then bottled.
For us, wine is a living product that needs to be respected,
and it should not be compared to these lifeless and
soulless industrial products that are invading the market.
We aim to keep the natural balance of the wine: time
and patience is all that is needed.
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