Harvesting, vinification and maturation

Harvesting begins at the end of September and lasts around ten days, spread over 3 to 4 weeks. This allows each plot to reach optimum ripeness. This staggering takes into account our different grape varieties and terroirs.

Harvesting at La Marzelle is 100% manual, and is carried out at the optimum ripeness of each plot. Technical ripeness (sugar and acid) and phenolic ripeness (skins, pips, anthocyanins) are taken into account, as well as observations in the field and tasting of the grapes.

The bunches are transported to the winery like precious objects, in small crates, and are received in front of our winery, where we have set up our harvest reception area.

Following on from the investment in the new vat room in 2012, new equipment was added to our highly selective harvest reception system in 2013 and 2014.

2013: Purchase of a new de-stemmer, 'the cube' from SOCMA, which separates the grapes from the bunch much more efficiently than previous generations of de-stemmers. This equipment is also equipped with a vibrating table to remove millerandage and botrytised grapes.

2014: purchase of equipment to select grapes according to their density: the Tribaie. The grapes are immersed in a sugar solution, set each year at one percentage point of potential alcohol for the Merlot grapes. Grapes above this percentage of potential alcohol sink and constitute the first category. Grapes below this percentage float and form the second category. This is because not all the grapes in the same bunch are equally ripe, and less ripe grapes give the wine less interesting vegetal notes.

Finally, the Calibaie separates the smaller, more concentrated grapes from the larger ones. A conveyor belt then transports the grapes to the top of the vat.

Once the vats have been filled, the winemaking process begins with a pre-fermentation maceration phase lasting 4 days at 5°C.

From the 5th day onwards, we raise the temperature in the vat to launch alcoholic fermentation, during which the yeasts transform the sugar into alcohol. This fermentation takes 6/8 days, depending on the grape variety and the year.

After around 8 days, a post-fermentation maceration phase is used to build the wine for ageing. This fermentation lasts 2 to 3 weeks, allowing the skins to relax and the tannins to be released.

Daily tastings enables us to determine the right moment to remove the wine and carry out malolactic fermentation after these 4 to 5 weeks.

We have two barrel cellars that allow us to age our wines for up to twelve months.

After vinification, the wines are placed in barrels or terracotta amphorae for twelve to fourteen months in a cool, damp atmosphere. The wines are then carefully monitored, with regular microbiological analyses and tastings. In the spring, we rack all the barrels and amphorae.

Depending on the vintage, ageing lasts between 14 and 16 months.