OENOLOGICAL PRACTICE AND TECHNOLOGY

On our cordon plantation, measuring 1.2 acres, we perform strict crop maintenance. We carry out trunk cleaning and branch selection personally, paying special attention to each of our 1465 grapevines. Based on each year’s seasonal circumstances and weather, we minimize the amounts of chemicals used to fertilise the grapes. Where possible, we use natural chemicals when spraying. The harvest takes place slightly later than usual and is done with the help of family and friends in late September and early October. We harvest and destem the carefully selected grape bunches using a specialist stainless-steel machine. The berries are then crushed and manually pressed with traditional methods. Before the first press, depending on the type of grape, the must (pressed grape) goes through a pre-fermentation maceration process where the grape is soaked while keeping in contact with its skin. The primary fermentation takes place under the influence of yeast in the environment. We take a calculated risk by using wild ferments as we are convinced that minimising artificial interventions creates natural, unique wines with personality.

For all our wine varieties we apply reductive technology (using stainless steel barrels) and only mature batches in wooden barrels in special vintages and in very small quantities. In exceptional vintages, worthy batches will also be matured with oxidative technology. The wines are filtered after gentle clarification and bottled according to their maturity period at the end of winter or early spring. Only our Rosé and Siller wines are sealed in screw-capped bottles, while our white wines usually have complex structure and body that they can retain their prime for many years after. Our whites are sealed with quality cork and covered with capsules which are heated for a tight seal. We aim to keep the entire vinification process free from chemical additives, and we do not use additional acids either. We adjust sulphur dioxide levels only when necessary with minimal doses of sulphite. Both bottling and labelling are done manually and all our bottles receive a serial number. Until next year’s product is in barrels, each wine variety can also be tasted from the inox barrels.