Winemaking

Gravity-flow winemaking

The winery was designed to enable all winemaking to be done by gravity alone, without damaging the grapes or undoing work done previously. It consists of three connecting levels, with the whole aging process driven by gravity, from cellaring to the storage of the bottles. This oxygen-free technique preserves the wine’s aromas and colour.

architectural design

Contemporary architecture that blends into the landscape

In perfect harmony with its environment, its shape and colour echo the shades of the local rocks and land. Soaring over the hills of Viens and Gignac, the view extends as far as Mourre Nègre, the highest peak in the Luberon massif at 1,125 metres.

Double hand sorting

The sorting table

Harvesting by hand means that we can select bunches as we pick them. A second, more thorough sorting process is carried out when the grapes are de-stemmed and transferred to the cellar, so as to eradicate the last substandard grapes and any remaining plant residue. The sorting table is also used to separate the solid phase from the liquid phase, which is of lower quality and produced by grapes being crushed while being transported during harvesting or while being destemmed. 

Preserving the grapes

The mobile tank and the gravity-flow system for filling vats

The winery is equipped with a gravity-flow system for filling vats. Instead of passing through a pump casing, the grapes fall gently into a mobile tank, which is then positioned above the collecting tank. This system prevents the grapes from being crushed which results in the extraction of aggressive tannins and plant notes. Most of the grapes remain intact, it is their weight alone that bursts the grapes and allows the juice to flow out.

Concrete tulip vats

A concrete fermentation room

Concrete is a material that requires constant attention but has a long service life, so it fits in with our sustainable vision. Its porosity, similar to that of wood, allows micro-oxygenation which is essential for smoothing and stabilising the polyphenols in the wine. Unlike stainless steel and wood, concrete is neutral in terms of taste and so provides a truer expression of the terroir’s identity. 

The Winemaking Process

Maceration in round berries

During vatting, the first stage in the vinification process, the grapes are macerated in round berries, which stimulates the production of complex, rich and intense aromas of red fruit. Pre-fermentation maceration offers a gentler way of extracting colour and basic fruity aromas, resulting in a supple and silky tannic structure. Interesting tannins come mainly from the skin and give the wine a good aging potential.