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76 Vacqueyras AC 2007 Cuvée Lopy
Domaine Le Sang des CaillouxGrape:75% Grenache, 25% Syrah (14% alc.)
The best 15% of Sang des Cailloux’s grapes are used for this top cuvée made from 40 year old vines aged in a mix of old foudres and two to seven year old tonneaux of 450 litres. More intense and backward than the Floureto, it is very dark in colour, and will age very well. For drinking now to 2017.
Technical Information Winemaker: Serge Ferigoule Location: Sarrians Size of
domaine:18 hectares Grape: 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 7% Mourvedre and 3% Cinsault up to 35-40 years average. Lopy is made from the same grape blend from best parcels of oldest vines (50 yrs average). Rootsocks: Monticole, R110, R140 Plant density- 3,200 p/h for Vieilles Vignes (gobelet), 4,000p/h for 25-30 yr old vines (cordon royat) and 5,500p/h new plantings (gobelet) Terroir: Argilo calcaire with gravel. Limestone clay, river gravel and pebbles, on the plateau below Gigondas. Lots of stones – v. precocious spot – ripen early. Quite flat terrain up to 100metres elevation tilting south. Viticulture: Organic viticulture. Bio-dynamic treatments since start 2006. De-buds, green harvests (when needed) 25 to 30 hl/ha yield. The soil is ploughed between rows of vines in the spring and no herbicides are used. Natural grasses grown in 1 out of 4 rows. Sulphur for oidium. Harvested manually. Trie a la vigne. Vinification: 100% destalked and no crushing or prefermentive maceration. Natural yeast. Vinified in unlined cement. One remontage per day from days 2-20, one pigeage per day for certain cuves. Alcoholic ferment for 8-12 days and cuvaison 12-25 days. Around 30°C with a max temp 33°C. Pneumatic press- blend back the vin de presse. No racking. Elevage – Lopy Tonneaux 450 ltrs (2-5 yrs old) Floureto- aged in large old foudres for a year. Bottled without fining or filtration in March/April. Production- 50-60,000 bottles per year. Registered organic from the 2007 vintage. Press: