Making wine. Making magic.
H i m o t e r b l i e v e h e i s a g r e a t w i n e m a k e r . F o r t u n a t e l y , s o d o o u r c l i e n t s ”
After nature and nurture have done their best in the vineyards and it’s time to harvest, Florent Chave, our winemaker, takes over. To protect the freshness of the grapes, the faster they are picked, de-stemmed, crushed and in tanks the better. Every step of the journey from vine to wine is his responsibility and picking a date to start is quite tricky, as ripeness of fruit and weather conditions have to align.
Winemaking
x p e r i e n e o u n t s
Winemaking is not for the faint hearted. In small vineyards, decisions are not taken by a committee. Each year, the fate of the harvest rests on the knowledge, experience, confidence and vision of one man, the winemaker. And each year throws up its own particular challenges.
In our winery, Florent decides on whether to use steel or cement tanks, old or new oak barrels or terracotta or ceramic amphorae – an ancient method used by the Romans – to ferment and, later, mature individual grape varieties, some in small quantities, which become our premium wines.
It’s a great responsibility, but Florent’s mother believes he is a great winemaker and, fortunately, our clients agree, so who are we to argue?
Innovation and tradition
The Winemaker's Guild
t ' s D o n !
We can tell you no more. The rest is shrouded in mystery. A sacred secret known only to the guild of winemakers. We understand that it involves cajoling, cosseting and whispering to the young wines, head scratching, mumbled incantations to Bacchus, tasting, careful blending and, now and then, expressions of frustration. All we can do is await the emergence of the magician, the gift of a smile and the relief of “It’s done!”
What we do know is that, whatever else goes on in the winery during those days of mystery, every year Florent puts his passion for his vocation and commitment to excellence on the line creating wines that are exceptional and authentic. That’s more than enough.
Try a glass, and let his mother know what you think. She would love to hear from you, and so would we.
You can find full details of those wines on the following page.