Vineyard: “Les Grands Savarins” is a small plot in the heart of the “Aux Caves” terroir within the wind corridor

Terroir: A special type of granite soil (“gorrhe”) overlays the deeper soils that are rich in manganese and metallic oxides. The powerful winds blowing through this appellation have a positive impact on the maturation and concentration of the grapes.

Soil: Shallow with no clay and little alteration, sandy-stony soil with little acidity,
covered with coarse sand and small gravel made of siliceous pebbles.

Orientation: East exposure

Viticulture: Lutte raisonnée (“reasoned protection”): natural soil amendments, manual weed control and integrated pest management

Vine Age: 65 years old

Vine Density: 10,000 vines/hectare (4,047 vines/acre)

Vintage Report: A very sunny, very positive vintage. Frost in early April as well as summer heatwaves led to low yields. Harvest took place later than usually. Overall, balanced and aromatic fine wines were produced.

Yields: 25 hectoliters pre hectare (less than 2 tons per acre)

Harvest: Manual harvest from September 11 – September 18, in small 30-liter containers; one sorting table positioned before the destemmer.

Vinification: 30% whole cluster; pumping-over during cold pre fermentation soak and at the end of fermentation to increase roundness and finesse. Punching the cap at the beginning of fermentation.

Aging: 17 months; 100% French oak, no new wood, medium toast; French oak from the Allier and Vosges forests; excellent sourcing of oak from the top coopers, Taransaud and François Frères, to bring out the wine’s signature aromas and tannins.

Cellaring Potential: 10 years

Aromas and flavors of juicy red fruits such as cherry and blackberry lend nicely to the subtle white pepper notes. A wine with great minerality, structure and length