Le Grand Vin is not only born from the conjugation of geological and climatic factors. Of course, it is necessary that the vine makes a high quality grape. The winemaking process must be perfectly driven, in order to obtain the best quality possible. If all of these conditions are respected, the result will be a harmonious soil, plant and years scheme. Each new harvest reserves its surprise. Wine is a living material, that is why any methodology must not be established. Reason and reflection are the keywords of the Ampelidae’ s winemaking technique.
| VINE It is never enough told, the essential is acquired in the grape quality itself. To do so, under a septentrional climate like in Vienne, the production must be under control. It’ s absolutely impossible to produce premium wines out of 45 hl by tun. To do so, it is essential to dispose of all the stocks ( replace all the missing ones ), to cut with care ( respecting the sap runnings ) and to make a cared-ebourgeonage. |
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Thus, the fetters benefit of space that will help the
grape to develop in the best sanitary conditions.The ground life has
to be respected. That the reason why the ground is not deeply furrowed/
ploughed and there is almost nothing done to it during the summertime.
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Ampelidae lets the nature do its part of the job. The
integral ground work also allows to preserve the indigenous flora such
as purslanes, asparagus but also orchids.
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The control of the place’ s genetic potential
applies to the scale of wine’ s patch. Most of Ampelidae’
s production derives from at least 30 years old vineyards; the older
vineyards of the property being over a 100 years old
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This genetic diversity has been duplicated in the new plantings. That is why,
one half of it comes from our own vineyards and the other half is composed
of a selection of the best vineyards.
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In order to gain the maximum of sun during the day, some of the parcels are grown over 2 meters high. |
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HAND-HARVESTING
A great quality crop has to be done manually. At Ampelidae, vintages last
around 20 days and 20 employees are necessary during this period. Thanks to
the exceptional configuration of the vineyard, one third of the total amount
of grapes are directly brought to the vat by the grape pickers who empty their
baskets on the sorting/ picking-table. Thus, there are less than 5 minutes
between the harvesting-cutting and the tun filling. That is the best you can
dream of as regards winemaking, and that is what Ampelidae does direct all
its energy and knowledge, to produce the best quality wines. .
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The other two third are cut in boxes of 15 kilos and then put case by case to be sorted. When it is necessary grapes can be chilled before being sent in the tun. One part of the red grapes are cut in hamper and are worked in the very next hour |
All the different parcels are individualized in adapted-shape vats.
WINEMAKING
Benefiting of the highest technology system, the winegrowing process is directed
by Frédéric
BROCHET. To prevent from oxidization, carbon dioxide is rather used and the
doses of sulphur are limited to the minimum/lowest possible level. From the
berry to the bottle, our wines do not contain any additive, except of the
sulphur dioxide. Any of the Ampelidae are chaptalized, each degree of alcohol
exclusively comes from the grape itse
| Hygiene and physical means such as temperature forewarn
us of most of the contaminations. With the white wines, the débourbage
is tight and the super premium wines’ fermentation take place in
barrels stocked in the old family cellar. |
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With the red wines, the pigeage and remontage techniques are used every time
it is necessary. The steeping/ soacking step takes place during a week and
the fermentation usually last 10 days. Then the juice is heated and the tannic
extraction stage occurs for almost a week. The winemaking process must be
driven to the perfection. In this very case, the result will be the witness
between vineyard, soil, and year. There is enough diversity (taste, flavor,
color, scent ) to please everyone’ s imaginary or expectation.
THE WINEGROWING
All of the Ampelidae are grown in barrels. The new wood proportion varies
from a wine to another from 5 to 100%. The wooden barrels is more like the
salt for cooking. It should never be too seriously perceptible but is still
essential. The wood choice depends from the vintage. From the American oak
to the Oural one ,every woods are valuable, starting by the French regional
oak.The white wines are the subject of an intense for about 9 months. The
neat growing and the racking confers to the wine a volume and a first class
aptitude/ ability to be kept.
THE BOTTLING
The bottling, systematically supposed/ includes, a rinsing and is realized
through/ thank’ s to a high technologic system that takes the wine to
the highest degree of perfection under the responsibilities of Cristian Brault.
The white wines are systematically bottled within sterile conditions.