Winemaking at Saint Estève

Grapes are harvested at full ripeness by variety and by parcel. The first varieties to be harvested are Chardonnay, Viognier, Roussanne and Grenache blanc, followed by Cinsault, Grenache noir, Syrah and, last but not least, Mourvèdre.

Our White Wines

After destemming, the grapes are delicately pressed in a pneumatic press. The last of the pressed juice, of lesser quality, is thrown out with the pips and stems. The must is then chilled and left to settle. Fermentation takes place in concrete or stainless steel tanks at low temperatures to emphasise all the aromas. The wine is then drawn off its fine lees after about 12 days of fermenting.

Viognier and Chardonnay are vinified separately. To make the Tradition blanc, Roussanne and Grenache blanc are vinified together. Cuvée Thérèse is the only wine to ferment in new barrels after cold settling.

Our Red Wines

Grenache and Syrah are used to make the Grande Réserve and the Vieilles Vignes. They come from the oldest parcels in the vineyard (from 35 to 45 years old), with the deepest root structure. Generally, they ferment separately. Sometimes, however, when they both ripen at the same time, we ferment them together, adding extra complexity to the wine.

During the fermentation, the temperature is controlled to avoid it increasing too quickly. Fermentation usually lasts about 2 weeks, allowing enough time to extract the tannins and anthocyanins found in the grape skins. Any pressed wine is fermented separately.

Other Red Wines

The grapes from our young vines go to making the Rondoletto and the Cuvée Friande, and all the rest of our vines produce the grapes used for the Tradition. Fermentation lasts from 8 to 12 days, at controlled temperatures. Any pressed wine, again, is fermented separately.

The Rosé de Saignée

The saignée method is a traditional way of making rosé wine, producing a wine that is pink in colour with numerous aromas and flavours. With the saignée method, the juice that runs off the grapes naturally after a few hours of maceration is collected using gravity, and then fermented separately from the grapes.

The following grapes are used in our rosé, and all are fermented in separate tanks: Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, and a small portion of Syrah.