Choosing the harvest date

The first step for the winemaker is to choose the desired level of aromatic maturity for their plots. The Polyscan allows for easy monitoring of maturity at the plot level and to decide on harvest dates that correspond to the chosen aromatic windows. To produce a light and fruity wine, the “fresh fruit” profile should not necessarily be the norm, because the level of vegetal can sometimes be significant in this type of profile. At this stage, the choice must be made from among the diversity of aromatic potential offered by the plots. Moreover, the aromatic window is not a guarantee of obtaining a balanced grape potential in the tank. That’s why the second essential step, once the aromatic profile is chosen, is to be able to evaluate the potential of the grape as soon as it enters the cellar to adapt the winemaking choice.

Managing extractions according to the potential of the grape

The second step, therefore, to guide the winemaking, is to know the potential of the grape. This is what will allow the management of extractions. From the beginning of alcoholic fermentation, around 1040, a measurement with the Polyscan provides an idea of the concentration of polyphenols in the vat, with the PhenOx index, and the balance of the juice, with the tannin/anthocyanin ratio. These two pieces of data allow us to refine our choices in terms of extraction and maceration time. We identify tanks for which it is preferable to limit extractions, especially when the tannin/anthocyanin ratio is high, to avoid having hard palates or too strong structures. With balanced juices, we can favor long macerations and also long aging.

But all this must be decided with full knowledge of the facts.