Winter and begining of spring ‘O9 at Coulée de Serrant

April 2009
The first half of winter has been fairly humid then cold, with temperatures below 16 F and short lived snow. This was very beneficial to the life of the soil. Spring looks luminous and looking at the buds of several trees summer is likey to be dry. We are planting now new vines prepared from a massal selection based on our oldest vines ( 7O years old ). Clones are not used. We have decided several years ago to keep all our old vines in spite of dead vines. Unfortunately, replanting new vines among old vines does not work well. Still old vines ( 4O years plus ) bring such complexity that keeping them is a must. Ploughing with the horse is now completed. We have now 3 weeks to spend to get the earth away from the feet of vines ( decavaillonage ). This is mostly done by hand. In the cellar most of the alcoholic fermentations are completed ; some of the malolactic fermentations are still slowly finishing. Like every year, certain lots will not complete their malo. We respect it. The first racking will be done in the middle of April.

Visit us in video !

French Documentary France 3 - 04/09/08.
In his last TV magazine, the french channel France 3 talks about tresor of Val of Loire, discover the Coulée de Serrant... Watch