PETRAEA
The name Petraea comes from an oak variety, the quercus petraea, one of the finest woods for barrel making.
Blend of every harvest from 1997 (XCVII) to 2004 (MMIV). For the first 3 years, terroir and grape variety have been separately vinified and aged in oak barrels (Quercus Petraea). The barrels used are 3-wines barrels from Burgundy and Bordeaux, plus 10% of new traditional champagne barrels (205L). Blending is done just before bottling.
Every year, the wine from the latest harvest, vinified and aged separately, is incorporated in the blend (up to ¼ of the whole quantity) and an equal quantity is then taken from the blend for bottling. This principle known as "Solera" assures the presence of old wines in the blend.
A solera started fifty years ago will always include a minimal presence of 50 year old wines. This basis of 75% old reserve wines guarantees a constant quality whatever the vintage, while preserving the character of the terroir.
VINE AGE
30 years.
TOTAL VOLUME
75 Hectolitres, with 25 Hectolitres added or removed each vintage.
PRESSING
Prise de mousse limited to 5 atmospheres of pressure (6 atmospheres for our classic cuvées) to get a fine discreet mousse and to emphasize the structure and the vinosity of this cuvée, while preserving its elegance.
DOSAGE
7 grams/litre of MCR (grape concentrated must).
BLEND
60% Pinot Noir, 20% Pinot Meunier, 20% Chardonnay.