5 Madiran AC 2006
Domaine Labranche-Laffont

Grape:60% Tannat, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc (13.5% alc.)

Two thirds of Christine Dupuy’s 45 year old vineyards produce this cuve-aged wine whose dense ripe black fruit puts me in mind of good northern spanish reds. Low yields, optimum maturity for grape picking and a gentle touch when it comes to extraction help to give the wine freshness and balance. For drinking now to 2013.

Technical Information
Winemaker:	Christine Dupuy
Location:	Maumusson
Size of domaine:	20 hectares.
Grape:	60% Tannat, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 45 yr-old vines. 4,000 to 6000 vines per hectare. Vines trained to single guyot.
Terroir:	Silty clay, with some limestone; very sticky heavy yellow clay and clay pebbles. Rolling, gentle hillsides.
Viticulture:	Christine both de-buds and green harvests. Ploughs soil in spring and autumn. Grass left to grow 1 row in 2. Sulphur is used to prevent oidium. Applies cow dung compost in the autumn. Hand harvested. 45 hectos per hectare.
Vinification:	Destalk 100%. A two day cold maceration at 12°C followed by fermentation in cement cuve. Mix of indigenous natural yeasts and 522D only if necessary. Pigeage by hand twice a day for about the first 4-5 days. A 20-30 day alcoholic fermentation. The press wine is not added back. No SO2 for 6 months. 2 rackings during 18 months elevage. Unfined but lightly filtered by plaque.
Press:

 

qty (bottles)

exc vat: £8.33