A time of capital importance for our activity, high point of the season, the harvests are prepared well before the picking.
Firstly, during the last week of August, the winery is prepared: the vats, the égrappoir which separates the stems from the grapes, the wine press - all the cellar equipment is meticulously cleaned and sterilized; the tractors are prepared.
The grape pickers are recruited locally – many come from one year to the next – students, foreign tourists, seasonal workers…
The harvest date is determined by, at the same time: tasting the grapes in the field, analyzing the sugar content which determines the final alcohol degree and analyzing the polyphenols that indicate the maturity of the tannins and the coloring matter.
Whether it is in Châteauneuf du Pape or in Côtes du Rhône our harvests are done by hand, followed by a rigorous separation done directly at the vine.
The grapes are transported in containers of small size to avoid crushing the skins which can cause oxidation that could have an adverse effect on quality.