“ Philosophy Total commitment…Great wine can only be made from great grapes. In other words, the quality of the crop determines a wine’s success, i.e. the pure, simple expression of its terroir…”

 

“The way the grapes are picked illustrates the winegrowing team’s quest for perfection at Domaine de Chevalier. No other estate takes greater care during sorting. Visitors never fail to be surprised by the paradoxical sight of so many rejected grapes lying on the ground at vintage time…”

 

“A constantly improving understanding of the terroir and a precise assessment of ripeness (always within the context of the vintage year) make it possible to anticipate, make the right choices, and limit risks. It is hard to describe the intensity of the vintage at Domaine du Chevalier, with its accompanying anxiety and numerous trips through the vineyard. Vintage time calls for total commitment, with constant mental concentration and physical activity. A successful wine depends on the effort that has been made during the vintage, and the taking of measured risks – keeping in mind that everything happens very quickly. For example, waiting three extra days for certain plots of Cabernet to ripen further can be a key factor in quality.”

Determining the picking order for each plot
“The crop is watched over especially carefully as of three or four weeks before the estimated harvest date. The juice is regularly analysed and sugar levels determined. We also taste the grapes because, when all is said and done, this is the only way to appreciate the quality of the juice.
Tasting the grapes is particularly important for red wine grapes seeing as physiological and phenolic maturity are not necessarily reached at the same time...
Repeated taste tests and laboratory analyses enable us to determine the picking order for grapes in each plot in accordance with specific characteristics of the vintage”.

 

“Great wine always comes from great grapes…”

 

The human factor prevails over all others…
“When it comes to quality control, it is interesting to note that subjective taste tests take precedence over "objective" laboratory data. This is because the human factor is essential for a product that relies, above all, on craftsmanship.Oliver Bernard