Ageing of wines at Domaine de l'Arjolle, French wine and Pays des Côtes de Thongue

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Ageing of wines

The majority of the wines of the Domaine de l’Arjolle are aged on lees, either in tanks or in barrels.

Domaine de l’Arjolle: Ageing of wines

Indeed, in times when wines were still transported in barrels, whine merchants noticed a richer and more complex taste in the wines bought some six months ago.

It’s only later, when modern oenologie emerged, that this was understood as being the benefit from leaving the wines on their lees, and the process became part of modern wine making.

Ageing wines on lees :

Ageing on lees is traditionally associated with white wines and the rosés. Principally, the wines are left on the lees until bottling.

During this time, the wines are periodically stirred, to bring the lees back into suspension. During settling the small particles of the lees increase aromatic complexity and texture of the wines. In France this process is called “battonage” and its impact on the wines is monitored by weekly tastings.

Oak barrels and wine ageing :

Oak barrels play an important role in ageing of wines. Looking for perfect balance between wine and wood, we now fill our wines earlier into barrels than several years ago.

The particularity of the traditional Burgundian barrel ageing for dry white wines depends on the special role played by the yeasts. While red wines are mostly put into barrels after fermentation, white wines and rosé wines will ferment in the wood and stay with their lees for several months, once fermentation has finished. Interactions between the yeasts, the wood and the wine itself thus create particular flavours and texture.

Due the positive influence of micro-oxidation, oak tannins and oaky aromas on the “bouquet” and taste, the oak barrels improve the ageing process of some wines. The wines need to be structured sufficiently and have their own character before being aged in oak wood. Otherwise, the wood will dominate the wine, and hide its personality, even more in the case of new oak wood.
Ageing in wood is a delicate and complex operation at the Domaine de l’Arjolle. The success depends on different factors, starting with the choice of the cooper. The quality of the wood and the barrels used widely depends on his know-how. Every step in manufacturing a barrel is important; in the first place the choice of the wood. The wood from hundred-year-old oak trees grown in the centre of France seem to be adapted best to our red wines, like the Cabernet or the Paradoxe. For the ageing of the white wines that are meant to make the Cuvée Équinoxe, we are using American oak. Furthermore, the time of cutting the wood, the drying process and the time and the temperature used to curve the wood, will also give a special character to every barrel and thus may influence the creation of every Cuvée.

In our search for excellence and quality, we have set up a traceability system to guarantee the origin of our products. Starting in the vineyards, our traceability system follows every production step of our wines, all over the year: Harvest, vinification, ageing and blending, until bottling the final product send to you.

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