AD VITAM AETERNAM 2017 (Domaine Fontavin)

TERROIR

The soils and subsoils of Châteauneuf-du-Pape are complex and and we can find there various deposits, in terms of their origin, age and nature. The fundamental substratum of the massif is represented by sands and sandstones deposited by the sea during the Miocene, at the time of the helvetian (-16 to -11 My). They are more particularly exposed on the edges of the massif, in the north on Orange and Courthézon, and in the south between Bédarrides and the village of Châteauneuf. These soils are covered with rolled pebbles from the upper plateaus.

In the Pliocene (-5 to -2 My), a new sea coming from the south fills the valley and the hill of Châteauneuf becomes an island. When the sea withdraws, it deposits vast layers of rolled pebbles, made of alpine quartzite pebbles mixed with a red clay matrix. We find them towards Cabrières, Mont-Redon, Farguerol, La Crau or Les Bois Sénéchaux.

At the end of a new glacial episode that took place between 370,000 and 13,000 years ago, the Rhône deposited another level of terrace, called the Riss terrace, lower down towards Sorgues. These soils have the same qualities as the high terrace but they are sensitive to drought because they rest on a thick filtering gravel.

The grapes for the AD VITAM AETERNAM cuvée come from the oldest vines spread over these three terroirs.

WINEGROWING & WINEMAKING

AD VITAM AETERNAM is a wine composed of 3 grape varieties and the 3 most representative terroirs of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation. The vines are 80 years old.
Created in 2012, this cuvée is the result of a meticulous work of selection and blend made in the cellar.

The vines are cultivated according to the principles of the Organic Agriculture: one row out of two is grassed, and the soil is enriched by adding sheep compost.

The grapes are harvested manually and totally destemmed. They are placed in stainless steel vats for a maceration period of one month.

The alcoholic fermentation starts spontaneously under the action of indigenous yeasts. Pumping over and punching down, which consists of breaking the marc cap that forms at the vat's top in order to mix them with the fermented juice, allow a gentle extraction of tannins and color.

At the end of maceration, the must is pressed and the free-run juice is blended before being transferred to new French oak demi-muids for an ageing phase for 15 months.
The must is then lightly filtered and bottled.