Vinification: production secrets and techniques
from the vine to the bottle

How we tend our vines

Careful vineyard management which respects the health of the soil and cultivation of the vines is paramount to producing a top quality wine. At Domaine de Mourchon we are aware of the challenges a changing climate is presenting and so we employ certified programmes of organic and biodynamic viticulture in order to encourage a balanced and resilient ecosystem in which the biodiversity, soil and vines will thrive.

There is rarely a moment in the annual cycle of the vine that does not require skilled husbandry from pruning in the cold winter months, to careful canopy management during the vigorous growth period of the summer months through to the manual harvesting in September. When properly respected with attention to detail, these traditional methods ensure that the grapes arrive at maturity with optimum balance and can be carefully selected

Vinification contrôle qualité

Gravity fed winery

In the year 2000 we completed the construction of our gravity fed winery which has been built into the hillside on three vertical levels. The natural cooling and gravity flow means that there is less need for the intervention of machinery and manpower.

Vinification

Upon their arrival at the winery the grapes are quality controlled on a conveyer and are then lightly crushed before entering the winery. The juice is vinified in individual tanks according to variety and provenance so that the finished wine will express the nuance of terroir and varietal. Most fermentation occurs in stainless steel but some of the older reds and white grape varieties will be vinified in oak or ceramic jar.

Fermentation

Working with mostly wild yeast the fermentation occurs spontaneously and maceration will last between 2 and 4 weeks. Careful pumping-over will be performed in order to extract just the right amount of polyphenols from the skins in to the juice. The grapes destined for the rosé are pressed directly before fermentation after just a few hours of maceration.

Maturation

After fermentation the majority of the wine is transferred to start the ageing process into concrete vats. A small percentage of wine from our oldest parcels will spend some time in oak barrels. Both concrete vats and oak barrels allow the wines to ‘breath’ as they mature. Concrete, a traditional material used first in this area by the Romans, is neutral and will allow the wine to evolve into its natural state expressing the terroir and grape variety. Wood, which is active, will change the texture of the wines by allowing the tannins to ‘round out’ and soften. We use ceramic to help enhance the mineral notes in our white wines.

Blending bottling

The wines are a in a variety of different vessels parcel by parcel. Throughout the ageing process the wine frequently sampled and the complementary nature of each component is carefully considered for the final blend which is chosen according to the characteristics particular to that vintage. After an eighteenmonth to two-year period of maturation the wine is put into bottle here at the estate.