VINIFICATION AND MATURATION


VINIFICATION

Red Wine: in order to obtain fruity, more supple, less aggressive wines, carbonic maceration is used for most of the carignan grapes. Other grape varieties are vinified in the traditional way, either with or without stalks. Fermentation times varies from 5 to 6 days for those wines which will be drunk young (3 to 5 years) to 20/25 days for those wines which will be matured in oak casks. The latter may be laid down for 6 to 12 years depending on the vintage.

Rose Wine: Direct pressing of the grapes to obtain fresh, fruity rosé wines. Pellicular maceration is being increasingly used by Faugeres wine-makers to obtain maximum aromatic strength.


MATURATION

More and more Faugeres reds are being matured in oak casks which las resulted in the production of some very high quality wines.

Once bottled, these Faugeres reds can be kept for 6 to 12 years depending on the vintage.

Those who like more supple wines will prefer a traditonally-made product, to be drunk in the 5 years following harvest.

With a few exceptions, rosé wines should be drunk within a year of bottling in order to preserve their fresh, fruity character. However many of the rosés remain excellent for two or more years.