Red vinification white vinification Aging
  The white grapes are transported in a different bin than the reds. For unloading, a large-diameter pipe connects the grape bucket to the press.
  The endless screw pushes the harvest into this pipe, by bursting the grapes.
   The vintage thus arrives at the press where it drains initially, then it's pressed.
   The grape juice is collected in a large vat under the press (la maie), then is pumped into a tank of concrete, enamel or stainless steel.
   The grape juice decants for approximately 24 hours, to allow large dregs or sediment to settle: it is a cleansing process called "le debourbage".
  The fine dregs present in the must will play an important part during the wine making.

   Whereas the Aligoté grapes and the Hautes Côtes de Beaune ferment in a
concrete or stainless steel tank, the Puligny-Montrachet is placed in new oak barrels.   The barrels are not filled completely so that the carbon dioxide outburst produced by fermentation does not make them overflow.

  White wines will ferment in tanks or barrels with natural yeast.
Sometimes, in colder years it is necessary to sow the must with specially selected yeast.

  During the fermentation of the white, I monitor the temperature of the tanks because the wines should not exceed a temperature of 23° celcius.

   Once that fermentation is finished, the tanks and barrels are filled and closed completely so that the wine is not exposed to the air.