HARVEST NEWS 2012
Tuesday 28 August
The cold dry winter was followed by a cool, rainy spring. As a result, the plants took their time developing. The result : flowering was 15 – 20 days later than in 2011, the veraison (term used to describe the grapes’ changing colour) was similarly late. July was cool and dry, then came August, a hot, dry month confirming the trend. The leaves are green, no sign of hydric stress, the grapes are splendid, their skins firm and thick with great acidity.
We’ve decided to start picking next week for the Rosé Frizant.
BEGINNING OF HARVEST – ROSÉ FRIZANT – 3RD TO 4TH SEPTEMBER
Monday 3 September
We started by picking the grapes for the rosé Frizant ! On Wednesday they will be gently pressed. At present all is going well, the weather is perfect, the harvest looks splendid.
Thursday 6 September
That’s it ! After a hard day’s work, the team at the winery has finished pressing the 2 vats filled on Monday and Tuesday, 4 sessions later and we are left with two vats of splendid must of the 2012 Rosé Frizant.
Cool, very delicate with aromas of strawberries and raspberries and a great pink almost purple colour. It’s still only fruit juice, but it’s devilishly good !
WHITE GRAPE HARVEST – 10TH TO 16TH SEPTEMBER
Monday 10 September
The picking teams started cutting the grapes for the white 2012. Poles, Roumanians, French, Irish, Spanish and others from all round the world spent the week picking Chardonnay, Viognier, Chenin, Petit Manseng, Muscat, Sémillon, Sercial and the other rare, diverse grapes that make up the white Daumas Gassac. It’s early days yet for the 2012 vintage bearing in mind that it’s all macerating and nothing has started fermenting.
We can safely say it looks promising, with luscious exotic aromas and a touch of honey from the Viognier and superb Muscat flavours.
Sunday 16 September : the end of the white grape harvest
Harvesting the 2012 white ended in great sunshine and good humour at midday this Sunday. It looks like a truly great harvest, the quality looks promising : that’s what counts for us !
RED GRAPE HARVEST – 17TH TO 27TH SEPTEMBER
Monday 17 September :
The picking team starts work again this morning with the aim of picking all the red grape varieties apart from the Cabernet Sauvignon this week. We started the morning with the very ripe Pinot Noir, the Merlot, Dolcetto, Niebiolo ; the Malbec and Tempranillo will follow.
We are picking in lightly cloudy weather, dry and cool, which is ideal for bringing in the grapes.
Saturday 22 September :
Yesterday we finished all the non-Cabernets and preparing to get the last group under way, the Cabernet Sauvignon, King of the Gassac valley which makes up 75% of the red wine blend. The juices are giving out splendid aromas, with lots of red candied fruits and sweetness filling the cellars.
At the other end of the chai, the eight vats of 2012 whites are fermenting, some nearing the end of the process, others only starting. The white is definitely mineral, with exotic hints, honey, apricot and distinctly fresh; it looks promising.
Sunday 23 September :
A day off for the picking team, although the team in the cellar is busy pressing the first three vats filled with red last Monday and Tuesday. On Monday we attack the heart of the vineyard so as to pick the last, oh so important, of the Cabernet Sauvignon !
Wednesday 26 september:
We’re nearing the end, all the Cabernet Sauvignon has been brought in apart from the Domaine’s two oldest patches. The Cabernet Sauvignon is sumptuous; perfectly ripen but above all with a superb acidity which enhances the whole aromatic palette that makes up this noble grape, King of the Gassac valley.
Véronique and Aimé Guibert together with Professor Henri Enjalbert were not mistaken when, in the early ‘70s, they decided to put Cabernet Sauvignon at the heart of the Daumas Gassac red wine !
Meanwhile, in the cellar, the white Daumas is quietly fermenting, it’s unveiling hints of citrus peel, excellent acidity and a touch of apricot and honey. As of now the result is delicious, a real eye opener and, above all, it’s fascinating to watch the aromas and tastes evolving.
THE LAST DAY OF HARVEST
Thursday 27 september :
The last day of the 2012 Daumas Gassac harvest has brought in a record amount of grapes. It’s been a month of idyllic conditions and it was vital to bring in the grapes from the two Daumas Gassac vine, Peyrafioc (Land of fire in Occitan) and those on the Plateau. During 19 days we hand-picked 50 hectares of vines, which should produce between 210.000 and 220.000 bottles of Daumas Gassac wine.
During this time, the Daumas Gassac cellars were well filled, with 8 small vats of white already blended, fermentation over and all well protected by the cold. This white is amazingly fresh, for the moment its acidity bringing out lemony hints, honey and apricot with a smooth ending, all thoroughly seductive ! Now, we’ll leave the wine to rest in the cool for several weeks, allowing natural sedimentation. The eight Cabernet tanks are developing as they ferment and macerate on their lees, with every new day bringing new aromas, delightful surprises…
Altogether, the vigneron can allow himself to feel happy: not only did the harvested grapes prove excellent and came in before the rain broke, fermentation is proceeding with no problems and the resulting gentle strength promises a splendid vintage !
