LES CANADELLS 2020 (Domaine la Tour Vieille)

DESCRIPTION

LES CANADELLS is a blend of three white grape varieties with a majority of Grenache gris.
The yield of the vines that make up this cuvée does not exceed 35 hl/ha.

TERROIR

The soils that make up the Domaine La Tour Vieille vineyard are among the oldest terroirs in Europe, since their formation dates back to the primary era, and more precisely a period ranging from the Ediacaran (-635 to -540 My) to the Cambrian (-540 to -488 My).
The rocks of the Collioure and Banuyls vineyards are of the metasedimentary type, i.e. a sedimentary rock formed by sediments deposition and solidification, then subjected to an increase in temperature and pressure during tectonic movements which will create modifications in its mineral composition as well as its structure.
The terroir on which the LES CANADELLS vines are planted dates from the Ediacaran period and is made up of schists called schistes de Canaveilles, which are more or less metamorphic, as well as feldspathic sandstones and black schists.
This schistose bedrock, which is exposed on the surface, forces the vines to take deep roots in order to find their water resources, which are essential in summer.

WINEGROWING & WINEMAKING

The Côte Vermeille vineyard is organised on terraces and requires exclusively manual and sustainable winegrowing works as it limits the interventions in the vineyard.
The low rainfall, the sunshine and the tramontana wind are the major assets of the region which allow the estate to obtain grapes of an excellent sanitary quality without having to use synthetic phytosanitary products.
The vines are therefore cared for and treated in accordance with the Organic Agriculture specifications, even if the estate is not officially certified by Ecocert.

The grapes are harvested early by hand towards the end of August, and cooled once they arrive at the winery, before being pressed by direct pressing. A portion of the juice (approximately 70%) flows into thermo-regulated stainless steel vats in which it carries out its alcoholic and malolactic fermentation at low temperature, while the remaining 30% ferments in oak barrels.
Regular stirring is carried out from time to time to bring the lees back into suspension and add fat to the wine.

At the end of the maceration phase, the musts are aged for a few months in stainless steel vats.
They are then racked, blended and lightly filtered before bottling.