Grape Harvest
The vines in Saint-Esteve have naturally low yields and are sometimes aged, so green harvesting is not needed or done. Harvesting takes place at the Castle between mid-September and mid October, depending on the desired ripeness. Harvesting is done manually, which is rare in the region, especially on old vines, which deserves preferential treatment. The berries are then carefully selected on a sorting table, with the best ones being reserved for the development of the finest blends.
Wine-growing
Vinification of the red wine
Scraped to master the tannins, the grapes are soaked at low temperatures to extract the quintessence of flavors and colors. The extraction is done gently with regular crushing. The vinifications are done variety by variety, terroir by terroir, based on typical characteristics of the soils and the expression of the grapes.
They are made in concrete or steel tanks, in containers of decreased size to improve its ranging. The time of fermentation is long and rises in crescendos. It also lasts up to more than three weeks for prestigous wines. The wine will be put in the barrels once the malolactic fermentation is completed.
Maturing of the wine
Some wines are aged in barrels of 225 liter made of French oak with fine grain. 1/3 of the barrels is filled with new wine and the other 2/3 with 2 to 3 types of wines. Maturing of the wine is realized with fine dregs for months before the wine is bottled in the castle.
Vinification of the white wine
The white wines are vinified in barrels. The fine dregs are upturned diligently on a daily basis. The fermentations are governed by precise control of temperatures in order to preserve the natural flavors.
The wines
The wines of Saint-Esteve Castle are characterized by a great maturity, a natural expression of the terroir, but also by the richness, the intensity, the complexity, and the balance. The wines, even young, will surprise people by the softness of their texture and the fineness of their tannins. The soil is expressed with force and conviction, all of which is enhanced by influence of the old age of vineyards. The wines affirm, with tenderness, a special taste.
