The term “wine production” describes all the operations involved in the process of transforming the grape must into wine. Some of these processes, such as alcoholic fermentation, are necessary. Other processes are optional and help to refine the contour of the wine and develop its aromatic and taste characteristics.

In this way the grapes used to produce all our wines begin by being "destemmed", a process to separate the berries from the stem (the stems can cause the wine to have an unpleasant grassy bouquet).

White Saint Césaire:

For the Saint Césaire, as for all white wines, pressing takes place before fermentation. The must is then kept in vats at a regulated cool temperature, a technique which intensifies the aromas in order to produce an aromatic and delicate wine. The must is subsequently clarified before fermentation: this is an essential stage from an aromatic point of view and helps to create a clean and fruity wine, without unpleasant earthy or sulphurous smells: this is called racking.

Saint Lambert and Saint Salonius, red wines:

The grapes are destemmed and undergo a pellicular maceration before pressing and fermentation. This process ensures that the aromas contained in the skins are passed on to the juices in order to achieve a more expressive wine.

The marc is then pressed; the carefully selected juices are then added before the malolactic fermentation. This process reduces acidity as well as stabilising and relaxing the wine – it is particularly important when producing red wine. At the Abbey of Lérins, we intentionally choose to keep the whole of the fruit by blending the juice from the press in the manner of the finest wines, in order to produce a wine which is fruitier and longer in the mouth.

The production of these special wines at the Abbey de Lérins is characterised by the short length of time in vat: only 10 days, including fermentation. Although at first glance this may seem surprising, this is a deliberate choice made as a result of the unique character of the soil in the vineyards of Saint Honorat, The clay and limestone soil produces grapes which are powerful in colour and in tannins; as a result there is no need for a longer maceration time.