OUR VINIFICATION METHODS

 

A lot of experimentation, a lot of variation. The only thing that is constant with Florian is his desire to test, learn and progress.

 

Harvest:

- Harvest:

. Search for a balance between acidity and sugar levels.

. pH assessment to determine full maturity.

. Grapes picked in the morning to keep them fresh (< 22 °C)

. Grape sorting in the vineyard (sorting on a conveyor belt if necessary)

. Manual harvest

. Carried in 20 kg crates to avoid self-pressing

. Grapes placed in a temperate room before pressing

. Without excessive crushing

- Pressing:

. Press capacity: 2,000 kg

. Piecework - 1,275 L per press (mixed vintage and sizes)

. Gravity settling (with or without pumping depending on the juices)

. Average settling time: 18 hours

. Very low sulfiting possible (1.5 g/hL), by breaking the juices at the exit of the press, then stirred. The cold maintains the juice and the oxidative materials fall naturally during fermentation.

 

Alcoholic fermentations:

- Method:

. Indigenous yeasts, possible addition of dry yeasts depending on the evolution of the juices.

. Without chaptalization for the majority of juices (if necessary, maximum 1% by volume of alcohol),

none on the Coteaux Champenois.

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- Containers:

. Thermoregulated stainless steel vats

. Barrels in French and American oak barrels

- MLF:

. Not blocked, free triggering

- Maturing:

. Without racking for wines vinified in barrels - maturing on total lees

. Tilting the barrels to immerse the bung (and avoid any temptation to open it to check and oxidize it..)

trust!

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. Aging under a veil (just a small veil) for the barrels (from March to August)

. Duration of aging: 12 months (for wines in barrels as well as those in vats)

. Transition to natural cold: taking the barrels out at outside temperature from 4 a.m. to 10 a.m. in the morning

(until stalactites form inside the barrel), thermoregulation at 0°C for stainless steel vats.

 

He often defines himself as a lazy winemaker, wanting to intervene as little as possible on his wines. As Florian

likes to summarize it himself: "the wine is big enough to manage on its own".

In the end, it's a lot of work to do nothing...

 

Blending, Method:

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. Selection of plots

. Made just before the draw to keep all the concentration of the wines

. Bottled just before the next harvest (because 12 months of aging)

. Goal: to have an overall vision of the vineyard of the House

. Draw on fruit days

- Principle: balance, balance and balance.

. For non-vintages, search for balance in diversity and the marker of the year.

. Wines in barrels: search for taste balance

. On the Blanc de Noirs, search for balance between the material of the Meunier and the density of the Pinot Noir.

 

In the cellar:

 

- Aging:

. Between 24 and 36 months on slats minimum

. Preserve the freshness and the delicacy

. A few longer agings if the wine allows it...

- Disgorging:

. Low dosage

. Rest after disgorging from 6 to 18 months depending on the vintages.

. MCR liqueur

. Disgorging during the fruit day twice a year: in winter and in summer.