Our methods
” We began transitioning to organic viticulture in 2018 and obtained organic certification in 2022. Organic farming is very important to me: it helps us avoid exposure to toxic products. It’s also very good for nature and adds something extra to the wine. “
Vineyard pruning & manual harvest
The majority of the vines are pruned in the traditional goblet style rather than on a trellis. The harvest is exclusively manual because our plots are located on hillsides, and the steep slopes make the use of harvesting machines difficult. Additionally, the average age of the vines on our vineyards is quite high, averaging around 65-70 years.
While manual harvesting represents an additional cost and requires more time, it allows us to protect our vines and perform a preliminary sorting of the grapes.
Destemming & crushing
Depending on the desired wine profile, we use various destemming and crushing techniques. “In carbonic maceration, we let the whole clusters ferment to produce wines with a strong structure. The whole bunch allows for a more pronounced structure, body, and texture, with secondary and tertiary aromas, resulting in a wine suitable for aging. To make a wine that is easy to drink, light, and fruity, we prefer destemmed grapes. The destemming machine helps us remove bad grapes, leaves, and debris, allowing us to harvest only the essentials.” For certain vinifications, we combine both techniques by using both whole clusters and destemmed grapes, to create wines with different profiles and structures.
Maceration & fermentation
Depending on the wine profile we want to achieve, we use different fermentation methods. This ranges from 4-5 days with the skins to 4 weeks for our high-end wines. “For the Relique, I look for fruity elements and an easy-to-drink wine, so I use carbonic maceration and press it after 5 days. On the other hand, for wine profiles like Jean Cassignol or 1924, which are denser and more powerful, I use much longer maceration periods (4-5 weeks) to develop more powerful tannins that still remain smooth. If I used a shorter period, I would get wines that are drier and more astringent.“
Wine aging
In order to build a range of wines with very varied profiles, we have made significant investments in our aging methods. Our cellar, equipped with cement tanks, stainless steel tanks, amphorae, Bordeaux and Burgundy barrels, gives us great freedom in our aging choices and the possibility to combine different aging techniques for the same wine. The cement tank emphasizes fruitier, lighter notes, with a wine that is easier to drink. The barrel, due to its porosity, provides micro-oxygenation, and the wood adds hints of vanilla and cocoa. As for aging in amphorae, it brings micro-oxygenation to the wine without making it oaky, allowing us to work more specifically on the tannins.
Oenological control
“My academic background pushed me to try to understand in detail all the processes involved in the chemistry of wine. That’s why I really enjoy working in collaboration with oenologists; I have many questions to ask them. How can we produce a different wine by only adjusting the winemaking temperature? My in-depth work with oenologists led me to want to explore different winemaking techniques, and I find this aspect of the work extremely appealing. I love performing the biological controls of the wine with the oenologists, and the ability to precisely adjust the total acidity and other parameters. In a way, this aspect of the job is similar to medicine.”
Cellar hygiene
As a doctor, Laurent Cassignol places particular importance on cellar hygiene. “My knowledge has led me to be very rigorous and strict about the hygiene of the cellar, where our wines are vinified and aged. In this regard, my parasitological and microbiological approach is undoubtedly a bit different from that of other owners. The chemistry of wine in some ways mirrors the use of chemistry in medicine.” Significant investments in winemaking equipment now allow us to control all aspects of the winemaking process, with temperature regulation ensured for all our winemaking methods: stainless steel tanks, cement tanks, Tava amphorae, barrels, and oak casks.”
« Biodynamic vineyard cultivation requires a lot of time, but it brings certain qualities to the wine. Biodynamics has a somewhat controversial, esoteric, or strange connotation because it involves the moon and its phases, but one only has to observe the phenomenon of tides to understand that the moon has an impact on the Earth. For me, it allows for wines that often have more elegance, liveliness, and precision. »
Laurent Cassignol
Our wines
