Maranges Premier Cru La Fussière

Area: 0.50 ha

Grape variety: 100% Pinot Noir

Age of vines: 45 years

Localities and terroirs: The Premier Cru ‘La Fussière’ faces south at an altitude of approximately 350 metres. The soil consists of grey-black marl, possibly limestone with giant gryphae, entroque limestone and limestone scree.

Vine-growing method: High Environmental Standards; the soil is ploughed, with fairly high pruning to increase the leaf area, and leaf removal on the side facing the rising sun.

Harvest: Hand-picked into 20 kg perforated crates.

Yield: 40 hl/ha

Winemaking : Sorting of the harvest followed by complete destemming of the bunches; cold pre-fermentation maceration for 5 days at 12°C; fermentation for 14 days with pumping over and some punching down to enhance extraction; followed by post-fermentation heating at 25°C for 3 days.

Ageing: 100% aged in oak barrels; depending on the vintage, 20% new oak and 80% barrels that have held one or two previous vintages, for 12 months. Blended after 12 months in the barrels prior to bottling.

Food and wine pairing: A rather tannic wine best left to age for 3 to 5 years, which pairs perfectly with game or a mature cheese.