A Visit to Domaine du Closel: A New Approach
Evelyne’s new approach in the vineyards was broader than simply converting to organics which, while admirable and undoubtedly a serious commitment, is hardly a unique approach. I think the greatest realisation Evelyne made was to develop a new understanding of the vineyards, and of the harvest. The Anjou region is imbued with a sweet-wine culture, the style of wine driven by the propensity of Chenin Blanc in this region to develop botrytis, and working with fruit like this was difficult. Evelyne had problems with volatile acidity and petrol aromas. She needed to rethink her approach to the harvest, much as Eric Morgat has done in more recent times.
The solution, of course, lay in the timing. Evelyne explained that with time she began to understand how her vines ripened their fruit, and how (and when) the grapes developed flavour complexities before the botrytis arrived. This told her how to amend her picking to suit. Then, in the cellar, using a new pneumatic press she began splitting the juices (just as they do with the white wine at Château Cos d’Estournel, for example, not to mention numerous other leading estates), separating the first and last juices from the core of the press, in order to manage the three aliquots differently. She began to allow the must to oxidise, in order to eliminate polyphenols which can cause problems later on (just as Vincent Lieubeau does, as he explained to me recently). And of course she turned her attention to the use of sulphur dioxide.
“We have reduced sulphite doses significantly, to the bare minimum. It was possible because of the severe harvest sortings.”
Please log in to continue reading: