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Blending

Blending, one of the key stages of winemaking, is the art of assembling different tanks of the same vintage from different plots and/or different grape varieties.

It is about finding the best taste balance, depending on the desired style of wine, by playing on the affinities and complementary qualities of each selected tank.

Each vintage, to determine the final blend of each wine, Armin, Rémy and their teams carry out numerous tastings to define the most beautiful combinations.

The chosen tanks are then assembled in one go to guarantee consistent quality over the vintage. Thus, month after month, each bottled batch will come from exactly the same wine offering the same organoleptic qualities.

Cold storage

After fermentation and ageing in oak barrels for some, the wines are transferred to thermoregulated stainless steel tanks before being bottled.

There, the wines are kept cold at 0°C.
This very particular method of cold storage in tanks preserves the freshness and aromatic palette as much as possible throughout the vintage.

The use of cold temperatures also makes it possible to limit the use of sulphur (also called sulphites).
It is absolutely normal for sulphites to be present in wine ; in fact, they appear naturally during the alcoholic fermentation. Essentially, they are added preventively as a preservative to combat oxidation and any development of harmful microorganisms. Thanks to its know-how and its infrastructures, Domaine Tariquet optimises the cold preservation properties, thus limiting the use of sulphites.

The wines are kept cold at 0°C in the estate’s temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks for several weeks.

Wine is a living thing. It breathes, it evolves, it matures. It ages faster in a half-bottle than in a 750ml bottle or magnum. Why? Because the volume of air in contact with the wine is proportionally greater in small bottles, which accelerates oxidation.
The constant objective being to limit the effects of oxidation, no matter the size of the vessel, the Grassa family elected to bottle as late as possible in response to market demands. Bottlings are therefore scheduled regularly throughout the weeks and months.

This investment and technique contribute to the constancy of style and quality of the wine throughout the vintage.

One to two weeks prior to bottling, we allow the temperature of the wine to rise naturally, slowly and gently, while in the holding tank.

Bottling

Domaine Tariquet has invested in a state-of-the-art bottling equipment. Our bottling team carefully and meticulously monitors each step of the bottling process.

The bottles are first pressure washed with filtered water. They are then filled with nitrogen (a non-oxidative neutral gas) which removes any oxygen from the bottle before bottling the wine. This step prevents any contact between the wine and oxygen
The goal of limiting any unnecessary oxidation, which started when the grapes were first picked, continues even during this last stage of production.

Filling bottles is done gently, so as not to overly disturb the wine. The Grassa family chose to invest in a larger number of innovative nozzles working in “umbrella” mode, which gives them the time to work at low speed.
As a result, the wine flows slowly along the inside wall of the bottle instead of being poured at too fast a speed directly to the bottom of the bottle.

The bottle is then closed by either cork or screw cap. In the early 2000’s, Domaine Tariquet was one of the first wineries in France to offer several of its wines with screw caps. This type of closure, which provides greater protection from oxygen, is particularly suitable for wines destined to be consumed young. Some clients also love how easy screw caps are to open.

The bottle then passes through a drying tunnel that blows dry air to eliminate any condensation droplets on the outer walls of the glass. This precaution prevents any humidity that could affect the quality of the label application.

Domaine Tariquet has invested in high-quality bottling equipment that benefits from the latest technologies.

After applying the label, the batch number is engraved on the bottle in a strategic location that is not hidden by the label. It can thus remain visible even should the label be damaged or removed. This is essential for product traceability.

The bottles are then placed in cardboard boxes made primarily from recycled materials and stored in a carefully temperature-controlled warehouse.

Hygiene is of utmost importance. Before and after bottling, the pipes and fillers of the bottling line are cleaned and sterilised in very hot water, without chemicals. This water, just like the rainwater, can be recovered and used to water the green spaces of the estate.

Both “Bag in Box” wines and Armagnac bottles have their own specific bottling lines. They have been adapted to these unique formats and operate under the same rigorous qualitative and hygienic criteria.

The style of our wines

A common thread runs through all of Domaine Tariquet’s wines, a style that they all share. When taking the first sip, one will be struck by their finesse and freshness: the signature of Domaine Tariquet’s wines.

Our goal is to be as faithful as possible to the identity of the grape variety and its primary aromas. Each wine will then have its own personality, its own singular identity. No two wines are ever alike. One might be light and refreshing, another might show more complexity and length on the palate.

The Grassa family’s philosophy is to preserve the grape’s primary aromas all throughout the winemaking process.

These primary aromas are found in the grape’s skin and pulp and are what you feel and taste when you bite into a grape – love at first bite! This first sensation does not call for intellectual discourse. Preserving it in the wine itself, though, requires a complex alchemy between the climate, the terroir, and the skills of the winemaker. Wine is gift from nature, exalted and respected by a culture both human and technical.

Each of our wines reveals its own unique qualities while respecting the signature of Domaine Tariquet. Depending on the grape varieties, differing terroirs and blends, the aromas and flavours vary.

We produce 9 dry white wines, 2 sweet white wines, 2 rosés, and a sparkling white wine. There are nuances, complexities, that come from different types of ageing. There are wines to keep, and wines to enjoy in their youth.

Entracte, the surprise of a brut nature sparkling white wine produced at the estate

All of this constitutes the scale of wines to be discovered at Domaine Tariquet. The word scale is appropriate: in music it designates the sequence of notes included in a key. Each wine is a different note. When put together, they create the melody, the harmony. A great piece of music will show this coherence. It is what we strive for at Domaine Tariquet.

Each wine of our portfolio aims to give our clients a new and unique tasting experience. And always, quality over quantity.

Discover the stages of the Armagnac cycle:

Armagnac is obtained by distilling wine. Its qualities depend on the distilled wine, which itself depends on the harvested grapes.

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