Clairette de Die winemaking
The age-old Dioise method
01
Harvesting, reception, pressing and filtration
In September and October, the grapes are harvested exclusively by hand, to ensure the utmost care. The grapes are then poured into presses and crushed to extract the juice. The juice obtained is then clarified (débourbé) and filtered.
02
Partial fermentation in refrigerated tanks
The filtered juice (must) is brought to a very low temperature in refrigerated stainless steel tanks. Fermentation in these tanks begins with the action of yeasts naturally present in the grapes (indigenous yeasts). It is these yeasts that give the wine its terroir character.
03
Blending of wines
The wines are then blended. It's the art of our oenologist and cellar masters to subtly blend the wines from the different plots and, above all, the two grape varieties: muscat blanc petits grains, which brings aroma, and clairette blanche, which brings freshness and complexity.
04
Pulling and foam
The semi-fermented juice (4-5° alcohol) is bottled without the addition of tirage liqueur. Thanks to the residual sugar and yeast naturally contained in the grapes, fermentation continues in the bottle, in our refrigerated cellars, for 6 to 12 months. Under pressure, this bottle fermentation naturally stops before the grapes' sugars are exhausted.
05
Discharge and filling
The bottles are transferred to tanks to avoid yeast deposits, by cold filtration. The bottles are then filled a second time, without the addition of expedition liqueur.
06
Print and dressing
Immediately after bottling, the bottles are corked, muzzled to contain the effervescence, then labelled and packaged.
Crémant winemaking
The traditional method
01
Harvesting, reception, pressing and filtration
In September and October, the grapes are harvested exclusively by hand, to ensure the utmost care. The grapes are then poured into presses and crushed to extract the juice. The resulting juice is then clarified (settled) and filtered. For information, 100 liters of juice are obtained for 150 kg of grapes.
02
Complete fermentation in tanks and blending
Unlike the ancestral method, fermentation here takes place completely in vats (controlled temperature 12° to 20°), as for a traditional white wine. The result is a dry white wine called vin de base.
The wines are then blended. It's the art of our oenologist and cellar masters to subtly blend wines from different plots and grape varieties. This key stage brings out all the aromas and specific characteristics of each crémant.
03
Tirage and foam
The second fermentation takes place in the bottle, with the addition of liqueur de tirage, providing additional sugar and yeast. The bottles are left in the cellar for 12 months to 3 years to mature on their lees. It is during this stage that the wine takes on its characteristic roundness and aromas.
04
Towing automated
After this long resting period, the wine undergoes "riddling", which used to be done manually, but is now done automatically. This involves pushing the yeast deposit down into the neck of the bottle.
05
Disgorging and dosage
The neck, containing yeast and impurities, is frozen in a solution at -20°. When the bottle is opened, this ice is expelled by the pressure of the wine. To fill the vacuum thus created, a "liqueur d'expédition" is added before corking, made up of wine and more or less sugar, depending on whether you want to obtain a brut or demi-sec wine.
06
Packaging and packaging
The bottles are then corked, muzzled to contain the effervescence, labelled and packaged.