A Morning in the Cellar: The Birth of a Blanc de Noirs

Day is just breaking over the vines and harvest begins early. The black grapes arrive at the winery still cool from the night. The bunches are beautiful and intact, which is essential: to make a blanc de noirs, the berries must not be crushed before reaching the press. The goal is simple but delicate: to extract a white juice from black grapes.

In the cellar, everything moves quickly. The bunches are sent straight to the press, without maceration. Unlike red winemaking, the aim is not to extract color or tannins from the skins. The pressing is done slowly and gently. The first juices that flow are very pale, almost translucent. This is where the finesse of the future wine lies.

We use a granite tank, whose thermal inertia allows fermentation to take place at a low and constant temperature.

The juice is then transferred to a tank to settle. Over several hours, the solid particles sink to the bottom: this step is known as settling (débourbage). The clear must is then racked off and ready to ferment. The yeasts will do their work, transforming the grape sugars into alcohol while revealing the wine’s aromas.

Fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature in order to preserve freshness. Gradually, the wine begins to take shape. Aromas of citrus, white fruits, and sometimes flowers begin to appear. After a few weeks, the wine is already well defined.

In the glass, the result is always surprising: a bright white wine, yet made from black grapes. As is often the case in winemaking, everything comes down to precision and timing. Blanc Granit, our blanc de noirs is a reminder of one essential truth: both in the vineyard and in the cellar, details make all the difference.

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