DOMAINE BERTHELEMOT

Viticulture

Domaine Berthelemot know that the quality of a good wine depends on how the vineyards are tended and this is one aspect of its savoir-faire.

The average age of the vines on the domain is relatively high because the older plots were initially planted with low output, visual selections.

We want to preserve this situation for reasons of genetic diversity by the replanting at regular intervals of certain vines and in this manner maintain the output potential and retard as long as possible total replacement. We prefer to work the soil mechanically giving the right conditions for the vine root system to search deeply in the ground for the elements which give the wine its character.

Pruning in winter is adapted to the size and growth rate of the vine and the volume of crop production planned.

This work is completed in spring by debudding to avoid later overloading of the vine with grapes.

So that the vegetation has space for growth, the vine shoots are tyed up and trained along the wires, in successive stages ; at the same time, secondary growth close to the grape cluster is removed.

After flowering of the vine and appearance of the grapes it is sometimes necessary to remove any excess clusters depending on their size and number. In most plots vine leaves are trimmed off to give vital growth space for the grapes.

The vines are treated in accordance with the principles of ecological winegrowing : the product used and the time for spraying depend on the density of vegetation, the type of condition to be treated and the weather.

The sugar content and reduction in acidity are regularly monitored and the grapes tasted during the ripening period; these are factors which are taken into account in determining the date and organization of the harvest.

The grapes are picked by hand when great care is taken to ensure that no unripe or rotten grapes are harvested ; most pickers return each year to the domain and are conscious of the importance of quality.

The picked grapes are transported in crates of 30kg to the cellar where they are again checked on a sorting table so that only the best and ripe grapes are selected for vinification.