Grapes are hand-harvested at 24°B, of which 15% whole clusters are added to the tank, with the balance destemmed and crushed. Cold soaked for two days before being inoculated with yeast, during fermentation colour and flavour extraction occurs with regular pumpovers every six hours and a few manual punchdowns of the grape cap. A maximum temperature of 27°C is reached. On completion of fermentation, a further 14 days of extended skin maceration occurs before pressing and transferring into 225l French oak barrels. Malolactic fermentation is completed in the barrel and further maturation takes place for 10 months in 3rd, 4th and older fill barrels.