The Ageing Process
Rose
At Domaine du Fotograph, we produce two types of Rosé wines: light Rosés and aged Rosés.
The light Rosés, which we refer to as "beach" or "pool" wines, are not of lower quality despite the name. These wines offer a high gustatory quality and are aged almost entirely in stainless steel tanks. Occasionally, we blend a certain volume of the wine aged in oak barrels to enhance the wine's structure.
On the other hand, our aged Rosés are stored in 300L or 400L Demptos oak barrels, 600L demi-muids, or 12-hectolitre oval Garbellotto barrels made of oak or acacia wood. We age these wines for a longer period to achieve a bolder and richer flavor profile. For wines aged in barrels, we stir the wine regularly with fine lees during the first few months to enhance the flavor and aroma of the wine.
Our Rosé wines reflect our dedication to producing wines of exceptional quality, regardless of the type. Whether it's a light, refreshing beach wine or a more complex aged wine, we strive to create wines that are a true reflection of the grapes from which they are made.
White wines
At Domaine du Fotograph, we produce two types of white wines: those from young vines and those from old vines, primarily Vermentino.
White wines from young vines are aged in either 12-hectolitre oval Garbellotto barrels made of acacia or 300L or 400L Demptos oak barrels, 600L demi-muids, with or without stirring.
In contrast, our white wines from old vines, such as Vermentino, are mainly aged in 600L Demptos oak barrels or demi-muids made of old French oak from the Tronçais forest in Allier. We stir the wine regularly with fine lees during the aging process and move the wine between different types of wooden containers of varying sizes. This meticulous process results in a wine with a richer and more complex flavor profile.
The Atelier oak barrels provide a unique flavor profile that is unlike any other oak barrel. This is due to the fact that the barrels are lightly toasted to bring out the natural sweetness and complexity of the oak, without imparting too much oak flavor to the wine.
Finally, we blend the wine if necessary after the aging process and before bottling to ensure a consistent flavor and aroma in every bottle
Red wines
Our red wines are all barrel-aged, including our "Petit Rouge," for 6 to 8 months. Some grape varieties and our long-aging Grandes Cuvées may be aged up to 24 months. Initially, each grape variety is aged separately for 8 to 12 months, depending on the vintage, in 225L/300L Demptos barrels made from different premium oak types with varying levels of toasting, including Tronçais (Allier), Bertranges (Nièvre), Drouille, Evaux, or Chateauvert (Limousin).
After this, all barrels of the same grape variety are blended together. For single-variety cuvées, the wine is aged for an additional 8 to 12 months in 12-hectolitre oak Garbellotto barrels. For multi-variety Grandes Cuvées, the selected grape varieties are blended in the chosen proportions and aged again in 12-hectolitre oak Garbellotto barrels for 8 to 15 months.
