Merlot 2018

All grapes are handpicked during the early morning hours and then cooled overnight in a temperature-controlled room at 5 °C. All the grapes are then crushed, destemmed and directly transferred to a stainless steel fermenter, taking extra care to remove all the green stems, in order to reduce the green flavour as far as possible. This is followed by a three-day cold soak at 9 °C, covered with a CO2 blanket. Natural fermentation takes place in closed-top stainless steel fermenters. Extraction is obtained by regular pump-overs. After fermentation is completed, the wine is left on the skins for another seven days and then pressed to 20% new Allier French oak barrels. The pressed section is kept separate. Malolactic bacteria are inoculated and malolactic fermentation is completed in the barrel. The wine is then racked from the lees and given a low dose of sulphur. The wine spends a total of 14 months in the barrel before it is blended and bottled.