Jean-Luc Daubisse helps the team, time for the malolactic…


Pascale, our vigneron, sent me an email this morning with the latest news. The primary main fermentation or “maceration” is complete. On Friday, she completed the final “pump over” of the juice onto the cap in the top of the vat. And yesterday – Saturday – the team “racked off” the juice into containers, pressed the solids (“marc”), that fall to the bottom of the vat, in our small press and reassembled the wine (plus juice from the press) back into the vat. The lid or “chapeau” is installed to seal the wine from the air. The so-called malolactic fermentation can then start. That is the second stage of the red wine making process.

Thank you to Jean-Luc Daubisse, owner and winemaker of Chateau Clos Vieux Rochers in the Appelation of Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux, who assisted Pascale, Albane and Jean-Pierre Bervas with the difficult work in the winery yesterday.

Clos Vieux Rochers is also a fully organic operation situated in the commune of Puisseguin, NE from St. Emilion, very close to the Castle of Montbadon. In September I was privileged to be able to visit this small family property with Pascale and see their traditional and very successful winery. Better still, I tasted their wonderful 2009 red wine direct from the “barrique”. So beautiful, so young, an amazing wine. I hope Paradise Rescued can one day achieve this same level of excellence.

Jean-Luc, Paradise Rescued says thank you for your help and we hope that your 2010 vintage is going equally well.

Follow this link for more details of Clos Vieux Rochers and Jean-Luc’s outstanding work….and at my next visit I will take a nice photo to share…

http://www.mairie-puisseguin.fr/chateau_clos_vieux_rochers.html