| The management of the vinification process at Domaine des Bosquets is always based upon the quality of the harvest, the conditions of the vintage and respective grape varieties. No two vintages are the same and maintaining the flexibility to adapt to the harvest is vital.
In general, however, picking begins around the middle of September and is completed within 3 to 4 weeks, according to the maturity of the different varieties and their respective altitudes. The grapes are sorted immediately upon picking and only those of the best quality are transported to the winery.
Upon arriving at the winery, the grapes are destemmed and lightly crushed to split their skins before assigned to the temperature controlled, stainless steel tanks of the main fermentation room.
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This destemming process is systematic as it ensures that any herbaceous flavours are avoided and that a better transformation of sugar takes place during the alcoholic fermentation.
The fermentations can take up to 30 days and are divided into 3 stages :
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a pre-ferment of 5 - 7 days at 14° C
> an alcoholic fermentation of 6 - 8 days between 29 and 31° C, concentrating on extracting a maximum of primary fruit flavours, and
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a final maceration of 10 - 12 days at 25° C or so to soften the tannins.
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After the malo-lactic fermentations, which take place almost immediately after the alcoholic ferments, the new vintage is transferred to below ground, cement storage tanks and kept at low temperatures for 12 - 16 months where the wine will stabilize.
This final maturation period begins with an egg-white fining to clarify the wine and then is racked whenever necessary over the course of its maturation to enhance its aroma and gustatory expression.
The final blending of the various varieties, that up to this stage have been kept separate, takes place at the optimum moment of its maturation. The newly blended vintage is then aged for a period in the below ground tanks allowing the flavours to fully harmonise before bottling.
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Finally, once bottled, the new vintage will undergo a period of 4 - 6 months of further aging before its commercialisation.
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