OUR CELLAR

signature-clos-du-notaire
« A real connoisseur does not drink wine but tastes its secrets… »

Salvador DALI

THE WINERY

In the weeks before harvest, the days of September are punctuated by regular ripeness checks in order to reach perfect “phenolic ripeness”. Monitoring the levels of sweetness, acidity and tannins makes it possible to plan the vinification process in an optimal way: the order of the parcels to be harvested is thus decided at the last moment!

The selection is rigorous; all organic residues are eliminated in order to keep only the ripest berries. Following destemming and crushing, grapes are put in tanks for maceration and fermentation for more than 20 days. The tanks are constantly monitored and tasted twice a day and all necessary adjustments are made on a case by case basis. Partial pumping over (or remontage) is performed daily to allow for improved extraction and greater flexibility, giving the grapes the chance to develop all their aromatic potential.

Our wines are then aged for 18 months in the estate’s cellar where the barrels are racked once every three months until the wine is bottled at the château.