We look back at the 2020 harvests, at our partners and on our estates Château Grand Escalion and Domaine de Longue Toque, with Véronique Torcolacci, Wine Quality and Purchasing Director at Gabriel Meffre.
This year has been like no other, with the health crisis significantly impacting human activities. Véronique Torcolacci, winemaker at Maison Gabriel Meffre, talks about the 2020 harvests and the promise of this particular vintage.
As the memory of winter fades, nature comes alive with vivid colours, green shoots brighten up the landscape, and the vines live in harmony with other plants and animals. You may have noticed when out walking that it is not rare to see grasses, weeds and flowers growing in the vineyards. Are they left there simply because they look nice or is there another reason?
From bare vine shoots to sun-soaked grapes, the vine goes through various states, which require a sense of observation and know-how in order to help it produce quality wine. Discover the life of the vine on our land!
Owned by Maison Gabriel Meffre since the beginning of the 2000s, Domaine de Longue Toque became one of the references of the Gigondas appellation in the space of just a few years. We are proud of the work carried out by our teams to develop our practices and expertise. After working in accordance with the principles of the “Terra Vitis – Agriculture Raisonnée” quality label for more than a decade, the 2020 vintage is set to be the first to be certified “Agriculture Biologique” (Organic Agriculture)!
Massal selection is a technique that has been used and defended by Gabriel Meffre for a long time. What does it involve? What is the philosophy behind this choice? Addressing these questions also means considering clonal selection. We take a journey to the heart of the vineyards to fully understand these planting methods.
What qualities does this iconic grape variety offer? We’ve grown Syrah at our vineyards for many decades now, but what are its main characteristics? Just a couple of questions to help explain why this star of the Rhône Valley is an essential component in our red and rosé wines and how it still has a few tricks up its sleeve to delight us!
Last November, we wrote about how last spring was a particularly rainy one and how 2018 concluded in what the industry typically refers to as a ‘winegrowers’ year’. What this means is that the success of the harvest is really in the hands of the winegrowers, who need to be extra vigilant when tending to the vines and swift to respond when action is required. We are delighted to say that all their efforts paid off and last year was a superb millésime both for Maison Gabriel Meffre and all our winery’s winegrowing partners!
May is the month when vine branches burst into growth, developing until flowering begins in June. To get the vines in the best possible condition, we rely on a few viticultural practices—suckering, disbudding and trellising. Explanations below!
Always eager to make you discover the grapes produced by our winery, we’re bursting to tell you all about Grenache.
