St. Joseph La Madone

Geographical location : The vines are planted at the top of southeast-facing hillsides at an altitude of 300 m.
Soil type : Granite subsoil and sandy soil.
Climate : Sub-Mediterranean, cold winters and hot and dry summers.
Rains regularly during the other seasons (approximately 600 to 700 mm per year).
Grape variety : 100% Syrah, vines are between 45 and 50 years old, yield 35 hl / ha.
Pruning method : Single Guyot method of pruning – trellising on wires.
Cultivation : De-hydrated organic compost (bovine-manure based), treatment with herbal teas, bio-dynamic preparations, sulphur and Bordeaux mixture to maintain the balance between the vines and the soil. Leaf-thinning, removing laterals. Mechanical ploughing of the soil, alternate rows are left for natural grasses to grow.
Harvesting : Hand-picked harvest when grapes are ripe, selective grape picking in the vineyard, the grapes are harvested in buckets then tipped into harvesting bins which can contain up to 50kg of grapes, these bins are then taken to the wine cellar.
The Cellar:
Arrival: Selective grape sorting by hand on a vibrating sorting table, then 20% of the volume is destemmed.
Fermenting: Lasts 30 days with 1 pumping-over and 1 punching of the cap per day, the fermentation process takes place with natural yeasts
between 28° and 34°C thanks to temperature controlled tanks.
Pressing: Grapes are placed in a pneumatic press, then in barrels for malolactic fermentation.
Maturing: 18 months in 500-litre oak barrels (up to 7 years old).