Terroir

~ 1 ha - Communes : Chavanay, Malleval (42), Limony (07) – Grape variety : 100% Syrah

The “Les Pierres” cuvée is the product of double selection.  As soon as they are harvested, all our terroirs are kept separate.  The finest harvests from the Clos de Cuminaille, as well as from Côte Bellay and Côte de Limony, are identified and matured in new barrels.  The “Les Pierres” cuvée thus starts its life on hillsides which are particularly well exposed, with light, permeable granites soils offering conditions suitable for the best expression of the Syrah.  At the end of the maturing process, the best barrels are chosen for the “Les Pierres” cuvée.

Vinification

harvest, sorted by vine, partially de-stemmed, crushed

 Cold maceration : 4 to 5 days at 5-9°C

Alcoholic fermentation : 4 to 5 days at 18-20°C at the start of fermentation, 34°C at the end

Hot maceration : 2 to 3 weeks at 30°C, stopped when green and rustic tannins appear

Malolactic fermentation in oak casks

A series of procedures (pigeages or pressing down of the “cap” of skins floating on the surface, remontages or pumping the fermenting wine out of the bottom of the cask and back in at the top of the cask, over the cap, and delestage, or aerating the wine to speed up its development) enable full extraction of the aromas and tannins. The wine comes into contact with oak barrels before the malolactic fermentation in order to obtain a harmonious blend of the wood aromas with those of the wine. 

Maturing

to 20 months, 100% new wood, finely grained oak from Allier and Nevers, smoothly sanded barrels

Racking: every 3 months

In March, when we do the blending, only 10 or 15 of the finest barrels will receive the name Les Pierres.