Growing Conditions
***Soil***:
The vineyards are planted on plots of land with different and composite morphological characteristics, as well as with a strong presence of limestone. These areas are also rich in rocks and rather rich in clay and are located at an altitude between 100 and 300 meters above sea level, facing West - South/West.
***Vine Training***:
Cordon spur system
***Planting Density***:
Between 3.600 to 5.500 vine stocks/Ha for older vineyards and 6.200 vine stocks/Ha for newer vineyards.
***Climate***:
The Spring was rather cold and damp until mid June. The weather then improved so that the month of July until mid August were warm and dry. Until mid September the temperatures were below average with some rain. The weather then greatly improved and was sunny, dry and warm.
Harvest
It was necessary to select and thin the grapes before the harvest, to have the desired quality. Quantities were generally below average. The ripening of the grapes in 1995 was good. At the harvest time (which began towards the middle of September) the grapes were rich in color with a medium-good sugar content and low acidity. The harvest ended on October 10th.
Winemaking
The primary fermentation took place in temperature controlled stainless steel vats at a temperature of 30° - 31° C. The maceration of the skins lasted 15 days for both the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Cabernet Franc, with a combination of pumping over and délestage. The malolactic or secondary fermentation also took place in the steel vats.
Aging
The wine was put in barriques on November 2nd.. The barriques were new and made of French oak, only one third had previously been used once or twice before. There the wine remained for 24 months after which it was bottled in the second half of November 1997.
