Blanquette de Limoux

Technical sheet

Appellation

AOP Blanquette de Limoux

Varieties

90% Mauzac, 10% Chardonnay

Production

55 HL / Ha

Alcohol

12% alc./vol

Terroir

Clay-limestone. The vines are planted to the west of Limoux at 200-300 metres, where the average rainfall is 800 mm/year. The climate is humid and temperate, with westerly winds and periods of warm weather. The grapes ripen later here than in the Mediterranean and Autun areas.

Vinification

Traditional method. The grapes are hand-harvested and transported to the winery in small crates, where they are pressed and processed in temperature-controlled tanks at 15°C, following standard white wine-making methods. Wines from several tanks are carefully blended together and cultured yeasts are added the result, which is then bottled. The secondary fermentation starts and bubbles of carbonic gas form within the bottle. After leaving the wine to rest on its lees for 15 months, the final stage consists of turning the bottle upside down so that the sediment sinks down into the neck, ready to be disgorged after freezing. As this operation entails the loss of a small amount of liquid, the bottle is topped up with still wine and “liqueur d'expédition” (a mixture of wine and sugar) before being sealed with a cork.

Ageing

15 months in bottle