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Vineyards
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Fontsainte is
many vineyard parcels, each with its own particularities.
Our most celebrated is La Demoiselle (the official
geological survey name), which gives its name to
our wine La Demoiselle - its Carignan vines celebrated
their 100th birthday in 2004. |
Fontsainte's diversity of parcels allows
us to maximize the affinities between soil type, aspect,
micro-climate and grape variety - to make great terroir
wines. Recent replantings - including Syrah, Mourvèdre
and Grenache Gris - have all benefited from exhaustive
geology studies of Fontsainte's various parcels' soil
structure.
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Since Fontsainte's establishment
in 1971, vineyard work has been environmentally-sustainable
and driven by the credo: "great wines are made
in the vineyard". So, we apply a policy of strict
pruning to the gobelets (right), while new vines are
trellis-trained; treatments are restricted to a minimum
(about half of what's typical), localised and not
systematic; harvesting is entirely by hand, using
small crates. |
Vineyard work follows Vitealys specifications,
with monitoring by Bureau Veritas.
| Bruno Laboucarié
explains what Fontsainte's unique terroir adds to
the special character of our wines: "early morning
- in early summer - there's an aroma in the humid
air, warming the vineyard, of pine resin and pollen,
cistus in flower, rosemary, thyme, spicy garrigue
heath, and woodland undergrowth." Asked what
this tastes like in the glass, the usually loquacious
Bruno is silent: "that's the indescribable flavour
that makes our wines special." |
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Fontsainte
- at a glance
- Surface area: 51 hectares
(La Demoiselle - 5.8 ha)
- Grape varieties: Old
Carignan (60% - av. 70 yrs), Grenache (20%), Syrah
(5%), Mourvedre
(5%)
- Soil: Silica-clay-limestone;
gritty with some pudding stones.
- Altitude: 90 metres
- Aspect: South south-east
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