French winemakers use the term élevage (from élever, meaning "to bring up") in their winemaking to describe the care involved in guiding a wine through its evolution towards maturity. We like this term because it reflects the ideal we believe to be the ultimate responsibility of a winemaker. Winemaking begins in the vineyard. It is our responsibility as winemakers to bring each wine up to what the vineyard ultimately has determined it can be.
We employ the traditional “cuvée method,” which means that each wine lot is kept separate until the end of the aging period, at which time extensive blending trials are conducted. The end result is superior quality wine that is both complex and balanced.
Based upon what the harvest offers we will adopt a strategy that leverages the strengths of that particular fruit. So, the decisions that are made in the winery are based upon maximizing the potential of the grapes as opposed to putting all fruit through a standard industrial process. It’s a more intimate way of making wine that yields authentic wines that are vineyard specific.
Some techniques we find beneficial include:
• Cold Soaking
• Use of small open top fermenters
• Use of native and cultured yeasts
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•Manual punch downs
• Gentle pressing
• Malolactic fermentation
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•Use of new and used French and American
oak barrels
• Minimal racking
• Minimal intervention
