Step 1: Receiving and sorting out the grapes

1: The grapes are harvested in small crates

2: The crates are emptied on a sorting table, a sort of conveyor belt

3: The leaves and the rotten grapes are sorted out from the healthy grapes

Step 2: Pressing the grapes 

1: The sorted grapes fall into the pneumatic press. When the press is full, the sliding door is closed. 

2: The membrane is inflated during the pressing cycles. It crushes the grapes against the walls of the press. 

3: The grape juice produced by the crushing of the grapes travels through a drain and in a pipe. 

4: The grape juice is called the must. 

Step 3: Racking of the must

1: During the racking, the must is transferred from the press into a tank were it settles for a few days. 

2: The clear juice is separated from the sedimented heavier solids, called the "gross lees". 

3: The gross lees are sent to the distillery or filtered. 

Step 4: Alcoholic fermentation in barrel

1: The clear must is transferred into oak barrels. 

2: Oak barrels allow an optimal fermentation.

2: Yeasts multiply in the barrel and transform the sugar of the must in alcohol. 

Step 5: Maturation on the lees and bottling

1:  The level of wine in the barrel is maintained to the top at all times to prevent oxidation. 

2:  The fine lees sediment at the bottom of the oak barrel. 

3: The clear wine is racked and is then ready to be bottled.