The Birth of a wine

Clinging like a dusty bloom on each grape, all the natural yeasts of the vineyard find their way into the vat where conditions are very favorable for their growth.

They quickly multiply to more than 100,000 organisms per cubic millimeter, provoking a series of chemical breakdowns that ends in the transformation of the natural grape sugars into alcohol and carbon-dioxide gas. The discharge of the gas, together with the rising temperatures and the fermentation caused the ancients to say; "The wine becomes bubbly".

The yeast will often grow too fast, rapidly overheating the must. This, in turn, further speeds their growth. This chain reaction stops quickly. The heat of the vat is such that the yeast die. Fermentation must never be allowed to get out of control. At Château Haut-Brion, temperature control is automatic. The stainless-steel vats are equipped with an exterior cooling system that runs water down their side maintaining a programmed temperature, according to the quality of the grapes. It can be maintained or lowered at will according to the degree of fermentation. In this area, too, Château Haut-Brion was a pioneer. In 1961, for the first time in the history of Bordeaux, vats of stainless steel were installed in a chai. The lead has been followed since by a number of the other Grand Crus.

Inside the vat, once fermentation is finished, the new wine is completed. Skins pushed upwards by the discharged gases move to the surface forming the "chapeau de marc". In about 15 days, or as soon as the new wine has extracted sufficient color, tannin, and the components of fragrance from the skins, the vat is "run off".

With this drawing off, the true wine finally appears -- the results of a year's work, effort and anxiety. At this privileged moment qualities and weaknesses can be identified. Each vat has its own characteristics. The wines from all the best vats are blended to create the estate's great wine. The rougher more powerful wine extracted from the pressing of the skins, may be added.