Vinification Methods
Since 2000, we have changed the system of amelioration with our oenolgist, Kyriakos Kynigopoulos. The reason for changing is to improve the quality of our wines without loosing the respect of traditional vinification methods, and vintage typicity.
For our red wines, we wait for the maximum maturity of the grapes which is controlled by taking frequent samples, before manual harvesting from a first sorting in the vineyard and a second by desteming (slow speed).
With a daily surveillance, taking specific gravity, temperature-control and tastings, permit us to decide the frenquency for punching the cap, pumping-over, and unballasting. A decision is taken for the duration of the vatting which takes between 12 and 20 days according to the vintage. The cooling permit us to realize long maceration prefermentary to profit of fruits just before fermentation.
Extractions are slow and soft according to a daily choice, after tastings.
The wines are then cooled and barrelled : 25 % in new barrels for Villages and Villages First Cru and 50 % in new barrels for the Grand Cru (maximum of 4 years).
Racking takes place after 1 year of maturity in the barrel. The wines are then blended and rested in the tanks. The bottling of our wines, which are generaly neither fined or filtered, are bottled in December and January according to the calendar of the moon (we did not realied that astrology playsan important role in the bottling of our wines !).
For our white wines, we are using the same process of our maturity surveillance than that our reds. Harvests are used entirely for pressing which is practiced by succesive degrees to decide to incorporate or not to the cuvee. Vatting for racking of the must after 12 to 36 hours according to the vintage.
After cooling, the musts are then barrelled where they will be processed to the alcoholic fermentation (6 to 12 weeks) : 25 % new barrels for Villages and Villages First Cru and 50 % new barrels for Grands Crus. Riddling is performed according to the tastings and vintage’s typicity.
The maturing in barrels can spend between 10 to 12 months according to the appellation (villages, villages 1er Cru or Grands Crus).
Our wines are then fined in barrels and filtered and then rested during 2 or 3 weeks before the bottling process.
