As you know, alcoholic fermentation is a key step in the genesis of a wine. In addition to the quality of grapes or the selection of yeast, the container in which fermentation occurs will play an important role in the development of a wine. Like the musical instruments in an orchestra, the contribution of the vessel in which we make our wine will depend on the materials it is made of, as well as its shape and size. Stainless steel, concrete and wood are most commonly used and each can impart unique benefits to the wine. We often make our choice between these materials based on the color of the wine we are fermenting.

For our rosés, we ferment in concrete vats because they are completely neutral and have a high level of thermal inertia. They therefore provide a lot of temperature stability for our low-temperature fermentation (12 ° to 15 ° C), and ensure a smooth evolution of the fermentation process (yeast are very sensitive to environmental changes at these temperatures).

We also ferment some of our whites in our concrete tanks for the same reason. However we choose to ferment our early-harvest whites in oak barrels in order to sublimate their texture. Indeed, the round shape of a barrel keeps the fermenting juice in movement, creating a natural “batonnage” if you will, that by keeping the lees in suspension adds depth to the wine. The cellular structure of the wood also allows a slow exchange of oxygen and a bit of tannins which add to the future structure of the wine. In order to restrain the aromatic impact of the wood, we use only old barrels of 225 or 500 liters.

For our reds, whose rapid fermentation generates quite a bit of heat, we prefer stainless steel tanks, which allow a better dissipation that heat. We prefer low, wide tanks which are perfect for grape skin extraction, because they provide a larger surface area for contact between the juice and the marc (the remaining solids from the fermenting grapes).

In an upcoming blog entry, we’ll give you a run down on our approach to vessels in which we age our wines…

We will be pouring the newest vintages of our award winning wines. Come see why our last two millésimes have received over seventy 90+ scores and why we are one of Wine Spectator’s Top Ten in «French Wineries for Value» for 2012 (the fifth year in a row).

Organic producers in the Southern Rhone, we bring to market the following wines:

• Michel Gassier, a line of wines produced on our own terroirs, and characterized by freshness, balance and minerality
• Chateau de Nages, the original family homestead, and a leading estate in the appellation Costières de Nimes
• Halos of Jupiter, a line of Southern Rhone appellations, assembled by Philippe Cambie, Chateauneuf du Pape star oenologue.

Discover our wines in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

Remember, we’ll be conveniently located at the North Entrance (just next to the public transport) at HALL 7.1 – Booth A09 for ProWein. Looking forward to seeing you there!

]]> http://www.michelgassier.com/blog/2013/03/meet-us-at-prowein-2013-hall-7-1-first-level-booth-a09-organic-wines/feed/ 0 http://www.michelgassier.com/blog/2013/02/starlings-dance-the-night-fantastic/ http://www.michelgassier.com/blog/2013/02/starlings-dance-the-night-fantastic/#comments Tue, 05 Feb 2013 17:00:12 +0000 Michel Gassier http://www.michelgassier.com/blog/?p=649 Here is an impressive natural spectacle. This phenomenon is called “murmuration” and is generally observed at the beginning of winter, just before dusk, when the starlings start looking for a place to roost at night. The numbers of birds increases gradually during the afternoon near where they’ll turn in for the night. At the end of the afternoon, there a huge swirling cloud. It’s a safety issue for them, no one wants to be on the outside and no one wants to be first to land.  So each starling flies as close as possible to its neighbors by copying exactly their speed and direction, creating a beautifully energetic, swirling cloud. Enjoy this piece of  poetry created close by to us in Marseille !

If you’d like some privileged one-on-one time, don’t hesitate to contact us at info@michelgassier.com or +334.66.38.44.30 and schedule an appointment.

For me, the only immutable truth is the nature’s truth. Planting a vineyard adapted completely to its environment and capable of expressing the nuances of its terroir is never a mistake and the wines that come from this kind of vineyard will always transcend the fashions of the moment. Since ancient times, man has planted grape vines in our terroir here in Costières de Nîmes and over the centuries, from cumulative experience, a number of varietals and cultural practices have been adapted to our land. During the last 40 years, science developed clonal research with (unfortunately, some of us like to say) the primary objectives of regularity and reproducibility of production. The result is a genetic homogeneity that has quickly been exhausted by inbreeding.

We have chosen to take a different path — to go back, if you will — to what we call “massal selection”, what plant nurseries used to do before the arrival of clones. Grafts are taken from old vines that have been selected for the quality of their grapes rather than their quantity. Issued from various outstanding plants, they are then used to propagate new vines.  Think of these plants as the “children” issued from their “parents”, although they are all from the same family, their genetic material is not identical.  By using these grafts we guarantee that our vineyards retain their genetic diversity, which in turn adds complexity to the wines. An added benefit is that their moderate production will also insure quality.

A second motivation comes from the fact that like all growers we are experiencing today an explosion of mortality due to various wood diseases, which seem to affect the young vines more than the old ones. If science has neither a cure nor a clear explanation for this problem, I think the old vines resist better to these diseases due to their genetic makeup which somehow gives them a better defense than the cloned vines.

This winter, we are planting a new Grenache vineyard with young plants that have been propagated from bud wood of some old vineyards in Châteauneuf du Pape. We also intend to train them as bush vines, a traditional method that is particularly suitable for this variety. So will doing something new with ancestral methods be a guarantee of future success? Only time will tell. Cheers!

BY BILL ZACHARKIW, GAZETTE WINE CRITIC

It is rare that a wine’s quality does not reflect its price. However, there are exceptions. The wines of the week are reserved for those wines that show exceptional quality and outstanding value.

This week’s suggestions: easy-drinking whites under $20

I received an email in which the reader was saying that while she was able to find some good-value red wines under $20, finding good white wines was difficult. My rule of thumb has always been that you have to pay $5 to $10 more for a white than you usually pay for a red. That’s usually. Here are five wines I recently tasted that more than make the grade:

Vin de France 2011, Sauvignon Blanc, Les Piliers, Michel Gassier, France white, $14.95, SAQ #11770140. Sauvignon blanc for those of you who normally find the grape too acidic. Riper melon and peach as opposed to pure citrus. Very easy drinking. Serve at 6C. Drink now. Food-pairing idea: apéritif, trout and other lighter fish.

Bill Zacharkiw

© Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette

The harsh winter (the end of February was still wickedly frigid) left its mark. The good news is that it was nature’s greatest pest-control (we’ve had very little to do).  The not-so-good news is that it also generated a lot of heterogeneity during bud break, especially in the Grenache. Some buds started three weeks after the others; their clusters automatically had an equivalent delay in development. The wet spring replenished the water tables that were still low after a particularly dry winter. But rainfall during flowering generated shattering (when flowers can’t  pollinate, they do not becomes grapes) and so most of the clusters are actually quite small and loose. Add to that the fact that the latecomers had better weather conditions and are now full and large, and the result is an increase in the heterogeneity observed during bud break. The result is that the natural load this year is irregular, both in quantity and maturity levels.  So, green harvest was critical this year.  In addition to controlling load in the younger vineyards, we had to eliminate clusters that were either too young or too compact throughout our parcels. This costly operation will be one of the keys in obtaining quality wines.

If you take a look at France’s weather map from the months of July and August, while the rest of the country was crouched under umbrellas, we in the south were basking in sunshine! As a result we got a double bonus: a very active photosynthesis and vineyards that are in excellent health, even through yields are substantially smaller than usual.  The first maturity checks are showing record levels of color potential and we eagerly started our red grape harvest with the Syrah on September 10th.

As for winery, this year we’ve invested in a new cooling system that will allow us to hone our ability to preserve aromas for our whites and roses. The first juice in are just beginning to ferment and show a bright fruitiness and a nice balance on the palate. Keep your fingers crossed that the weather will hold out until the end of the harvest and that the vintage will be memorable.

We’re finalizing our trip to Vinexpo Hong Kong at the moment where you’ll find us at Hall 1 Level 1 Booth J53. Michel Gassier and Olivier Grataloupt will be presenting a dozen of our wines, all of which have received 90 points and more. Come discover why Michel Gassier’s wines have acquired a reputation that transcends their appellations. Please feel free to stop by, or if you’d like some privileged one-on-one time, don’t hesitate to contact us at info@michelgassier.com or +334.66.38.44.30 and schedule an appointment.

We’re busy getting ready for Vinisud at the moment. You’ll find us at Hall 11 Aisle A Stand 99 (or  11A99 in Vinisud talk). We will, once again, be sharing a booth with Laurent and Julien Brechet and Philippe Cambie.

In addition to our latest vintages of Costieres de Nîmes in Château de Nages, Nostre Païs, and Lou Coucardié, you will also be able to savor Château de Vaudieu of Châteauneuf du Pâpe; Les Halos de Jupiter by Philippe Cambie; Domaine des Bosquets of Gigondas; Les Piliers and Les Insolites of  Michel Gassier; Château de la Coulerette of Côtes de Provence; Domaine de la Jérôme in Côtes du Rhône Villages; Cercius in Côtes du Rhône; and finally but not least Plateau des Chênes of Lirac.

In reds we will largely be showing the 2010 vintages and in whites and rosés the 2011 vintages. Please feel free to stop by. You’ll be able to discover our full range of wines in a relaxed and accessible environment. If you’d like some privileged one-on-one time, don’t hesitate to contact us at info@michelgassier.com or +334.66.38.44.30 and schedule an appointment.

Pruning is a delicate and crucial task for the lives of our vineyards. It determines in great part the evolution of each vine with respect to its growth, health, form, and the quantity and quality of its grapes at harvest. The objective of pruning is to train vines to produce without excess, in order to concentrate the natural sugars and flavors in the summer, and evenly distribute the grapes on the vines so that they can take advantage of maximum space and ventilation in the foliage.

Slow and tedious work, pruning starts as soon as the leaves fall, and continues through the dormancy of the vines, until budbreak.  Here in Costieres de Nimes that means from early November to March. What is a pleasant job under a bright winter sun becomes painful during damp, icy days or, even worse, when facing the freezing mistral winds.

In addition, the pruner needs to have a real know-how. At each vine, he (or she) has to take into account the varietal, its vigor, and the wine the parcel is destined to become. Upon reflection, vine by vine, the pruner will leave in place the number of buds necessary to obtain the ideal number of clusters on each branch of the vine.

In order to imagine the sheer scale of the task at hand, let’s do a little math exercise: there are, on average 5,000 vines per hectare, or 500,000 vines to be pruned at Château de Nages and Mas Molines combined. We leave 6 spurs (branch cuts) per vine for a total of approximately 3,000,000 cuts from a pair of shears (the truth is actually closer to twice that!).