The terroir of the Costières de Nîmes is sedimentary, a “layer cake”. Huge variability of the contents of this “millefeuille” exists, not only from one zone to another, not only between vineyards, but sometimes even from one vine to another. To simplify the overall pattern, today we see two broad geological types in our vineyards, each one with significant nuances.
Here in Costières de Nîmes, we had a late bud break but by bloom the vintage had caught up with a normal year. No significant shattering to report and crop size is looking good. The summer was hot and dry and veraison started late mid-July. Late August produced two storms with, in some cases, significant […]
Our Viognier from the 2014 vintage continues to have its signature liveliness with an additional touch of sensuality. Alongside its characteristic aromas of apricot and tangerine, its fans can detect an additional perception of creaminess. This is the handiwork of several years of malolactic fermentation trials on our white wines. Although not a common practice […]
A wine owes its character to the potential of its soil and how it’s interpreted by the winemaker. I often compare winemaking to music — the results depends both on the musical score and the musician. Reducing the equation to just these two parameters is a simplification that I can easily overlook, but it ignores […]
During the month of January, you’ll find us doing little else than pruning. The season is not yet behind us and I thought it might be interesting to share with you the specificities of pruning in the “gobelet” fashion (also called bush vine). As you may already be aware of, pruning is a crucial activity […]
« The year was late due to a cold and wet spring and a flowering that was almost 15 days behind a normal year. This was followed by a dry summer that gave way to a beautiful sunny September with cool nights: a perfect recipe for deeply colored grapes that maintained acidity into maturity. Spring rains […]
When we plant a vineyard, we are making decisions for 20, 30 or 50 years. The choices we make need to be considered carefully because beyond ourselves, they often engage generations to come. When you think about it, this kind of decision is truly an anachronism in a society that is increasingly fast, where the […]
What does the 2012 vintage look like? If I had a nickel for every time someone asked me that question! But the truth is I really can’t answer until everything has been harvested and is in the winery. However, here are some observations about the harvest that is just beginning. We find ourselves at the […]
I had the pleasure of showing James Molesworth of Wine Spectator around our appellation earlier this month, and in showing him the different terroirs in Costieres it got me thinking that it might be a subject that would interest more than a few wine nerds. So here it goes… Costières de Nîmes is most southern […]
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