As soon as they are harvested, the grapes are crushed and destemmed, then placed in temperature-controlled, stainless – steel wine vats to ferment. Once alcoholic fermentation has begun, daily pumping over is carried out to facilitate the extraction of the colour and primary aromas of the grapes from the skins. After the completion of alcoholic fermentation, the wine is left to macerate on skins for a further seven – eight days and then racked. After racking repeatedly and the completion of malolactic fermentation, the wine ages in barriques for twelve months and then bottled fourteen to sixteen months after harvesting. The wine spends at least six months of further ageing in the bottle before being released for sale.