Pressing Trélans ... very gently

Under a blazing sun, Sébastien is filling the press with newly picked grapes, 

still on their stems. The first gentle pressing…

It’ll happen twice more so as to produce the clear, bright juices that will make up our Trélans wine.

This year the proportions of grapes in the blend will be :

60%  Vermentino and 40% Chenin

Osetra or Beluga ?

Mmmm … no!

Quite simply they’re lovely Syrah grapes, more or less intact as they reach the vats.

All being well, they’ll make up part of the 2012 Esprit de Font Caude, available towards the end of 2015 …

Le Merle aux Alouettes 2012 making haste … slowly !

Here we are on the third day of September, a quick visit to the Mas de Garrigou Merlot vines convinced us : 

 The Merle aux Alouettes 2012 is making haste … slowly !

The bunches are small and well spaced; softly but surely, unlike other years, they’re reaching optimal maturity. It all points to this year’s wine being a great vintage …

Luck (the weather in fact !) is on our side !

2012 Harvest, off to a great start

27 August morning : we brought our secators out to harvest our first bunches of Syrah ... 30 year old vines maturing early in the heat of the terroir.

The result looks magnificent, healthy and luscious.

 

Follow this spot !

Petit Merle aux Alouettes 2012

2012 The wine makers' year ....

 

That is to say there's been loads of work in the vineyards since May ...

 

But the vines look splendid, bright green leaves and it looks like a good harvest !

 

The Merlot above is the basis of our Petit Merle aux Alouettes wine.

 

Biodynamic wines on show in Berlin

Thanks to a kind invitation by our Ambassador to Berlin, Monsieur Gourdault Montagne, I found myself, together with some fifteen biodynamic wine producing colleagues, showing my wines in the prestigious French Embassy, just opposite the Brandenberg Gate. 

The Guide given to each visitor

The Brandenberg Gate, Berlin

Our Ambassador deep in conversation with Michel Grisard, great wine maker in the Savoy.

A thousand thanks to Monsieur Gourdault Montagne for the quality of his welcome, his interest in the different wines and his involvement in the economic success of our Domaines

Mystery Photo

Now then, have a guess, what does this remind you of ?

Trees in winter, veins running through your body, haven’t a clue …

Well no, look again …

It’s the bottom of a recently emptied wine vat !

The remaining few litres, full of tiny particles, make a great picture, even if it is a touch elusive …

The Artisan Wine Fair RAW 2012

London, 20-21 May 2012


http://www.rawfair.com/artisans/domaine-alain-chabanon