The winegrowers are guardians of tradition, custodians of ancestral methods and heirs to the know-how that make French vineyards popular throughout the world. But this tradition is not set in stone: one of the qualities of these farmers and craftsmen is to develop their practices, to adapt them to consumer tastes, to seek again and again to allow the natural qualities of the terroir and their vines. Working the land, which allows the grapes to develop and ripen in the best conditions, is essential for making good wine. After the harvest, the fermentation time and the passage in vats is also important to preserve the qualities of a given appellation, and to refine the flavors and tannins.
In the 21st century, winegrowers sometimes move away from barrels which give a pronounced taste of wood, to go towards ancient materials, sandstone and terracotta, or modern, fiberglass or concrete. Sébastien Girard, from the Ville Rouge estate, takes us on a tour of his cellar and presents his different containers.
Sébastien Girard: “Wood is actually a bit of an artifice. We have this taste of wood, this toasted or vanilla taste depending on the wood toasting that we take, depending on the origin of the wood too. While the stoneware vats, we only have the taste of the fruit. »
– AW
– AW