2016 Chateau La Nerthe Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee des Cadettes

Cuvee des Cadettes is not a selection made in the cellar but a wine crafted from a unique 20 acre vineyard planted with 85 to 100 year old vines. This Cuvee is a cofermentation of hand harvested and hand sorted grenache syrah and mourvedre. The cuvasion begins with cold pre-fermentation maceration lasting 12 – 24 hours. Alcoholic fermentation occurs directly after maceration with wild yeast native to the vineyard. The intensity of pumping over and punching down is defined by tasting the fermenting juice to ensure the best extraction of the berry compounds. Maceration lasts 18 to 20 days and the wines are racked into concrete tanks for malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged 12 months in 100% small French oak barrels and blending takes place shortly before bottling.