Convinced that great wines can only be made from great grapes, the winegrowers of Saint-Emilion spare no effort in the vineyard, using traditional practices that have the seal of approval of experience.

 

YIELD CONTROL

The mainstay of quality assurance, yield control is one of the provisions of the Saint-Emilion and Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Controlled Appellation decrees, imposing a minimum of 5000 vines per hectare (narrow vines). Moreover, the Guyot pruning technique is so well suited to the varietals found in Saint-Emilion that it is the only one used and makes for intelligent production management.

Throughout the year, the winegrower systematically performs a series of operations in the vineyard, such as bud removal and canopy management, maintaining and improving the quality potential of the year's crop.

The winemaker also performs what is called "green harvesting", usually in August as the grapes begin to change colour. This technique, in widespread use in Saint-Emilion, involves removing the smaller bunches to let the better developed grapes ripen properly. This is another way of controlling production.

HEALTHY GRAPES

Healthy grapes are essential for making fine wine, so disease control is all-important. Several methods are used.

- Rational pest control: becoming increasingly common in Saint-Emilion, this method has resulted from enhanced knowledge of the parasites and sprays used, from close-in observation of the vines and from concern about the environment. Some of the vineyards are worked using organic or biodynamic methods.

- Leaf removal: the winegrower generally removes foliage after the grapes change colour, with a view to improving their œnological properties: the grapes are healthier and riper, the sun working on the skins to make for more aromatic, more harmonious wines and for enhanced extraction of their phenolic compounds.

SOILS IN TIP-TOP CONDITION FOR PRODUCING WINE

To make sure that his terroir remains perfect for producing wine, the grower uses all the techniques at his disposal that will have a positive effect on grape quality: working the soil, seeding grass between the rows of vines, drainage, slow-growing rootstocks, rational use of fertilizers, etc.

HARVESTING AT OPTIMUM RIPENESS

Increasing advances in our knowledge of the various criteria involved in ripeness (aromatic, technological and phenolic maturity) now plays a critical role in setting the dates for the harvest. The winegrower uses various criteria to judge the state of ripeness:

- the dates of the phenological stages of the vine (flowering, colour change)

- the taste and appearance of the grapes and the appearance of the vines

- chemical analysis of the grapes, usually performed by a laboratory, which are used to establish ripeness graphs.

 

 

As in the vineyards, the winegrowers of Saint-Emilion have made just as much progress with their winery methods and equipment. The advances have led to

 

major investment in all areas of wine making and maturing.

CARE IN HARVESTING AND CROP RECEPTION

The "Ban des Vendanges", the official starting date of grape picking decreed by the Prefect of the Gironde department, is a clarion call for the entire Bordeaux wine region. The grapes are generally picked from September onwards, by hand or mechanically, plot by plot according to the grape variety and the age of the vines, starting with the earliest, the Merlot, which is usually ready a week before the Cabernets).

So that only the grapes with the best winemaking potential are put into the vats, they are sorted increasingly on the vine or at the winery, so as to get rid of any damaged or unripe grapes and plant debris.

All the efforts made in the vineyard are further enhanced in the winery, where the latest destemmers, presses and pumps ensure that the grapes are handled as delicately as possible, thus avoiding oxidation.

VATTING AND FERMENTATION CONTROL

On most estates, the wines made from different grape varieties from vines of different ages are put into separate vats.

On the way into the vat, a small amount of sulphite is added to prevent oxidation and halt the development of harmful yeasts and bacteria. In some cases, the grape must is enriched with fermentation yeast. Controlling alcoholic fermentation and keeping the temperature between 28° and 32° are key features of successful winemaking. That is why many vatrooms in Saint-Emilion are equipped with temperature control systems.

During alcoholic fermentation, the wines are pumped over (racked) to extract as many compounds as possible from the skins by letting them sink down through the wine. The frequency of the operation depends on the ripeness of the grapes, the vintage and the terroir.

The maceration period which follows alcoholic fermentation is another important factor for quality. Maceration time is calculated exclusively by tasting, when the winemaker brings his experience and intuition to bear. Because the grapes are destemmed, the maceration phase can be extended up to four weeks, which means that the phenolic compounds can be completely extracted from the skins and pips. These compounds give Saint-Emilion wines their structure, colour and aromatic complexity.

TRADITIONAL MATURING: A PAINSTAKING BUSINESS

Once malolactic fermentation has taken place in the free-run wines and the press wines, and the various batches have been blended after long, painstaking tasting sessions, the wines have to mature. This takes place either in vats or in barrels, and the long, complex transformations help bring out the potential that the future great wines will develop later on in the bottle. Traditionally in Saint-Emilion, wines for laying down – vins de garde – are matured in 225-litre oak barrels and lasts an average of 16 to 18 months.

Many winemakers mature their wines in barrels, as this greatly enhances their character, allowing them to develop harmoniously by controlled oxidation, as well as imparting a lovely woody aroma.