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harvest
picked with precision
The precise moment for harvesting each plot depends on a series of analytical factors, however no technology yet compares to the human palate. This critical stage of optimum grape maturity can be the single decisive factor in determining the expression of the vintage.
Leading up to the harvest, the oenological team tastes grapes from row after row of vines, plot after plot, carefully monitoring the evolution in maturity. Once the harvest begins there's no going back, and the entire team works like clockwork in order to pick within an incredibly narrow window of opportunity. Yet not every grape is selected. Each harvester is given a careful set of instructions which vary from plot to plot and vintage to vintage.
The grapes are then carried from the vineyard to the winery in specialised trailers with an integrated pneumatic suspension system, keeping the berries intact and in perfect shape as they make their way to the winery.
sorting
every grape is optically analysed for size, shape and colour
After a further sorting stage by hand, the grapes are de-stemmed before passing through an optical-sorting machine. This newest-generation technology scans the profile of each individual berry and compares it to a set of precise parameters, each continuously monitored and updated to correspond to the characteristics of each plot.
maceration
for the fullest but most gentle extraction of colour and flavour
The grapes, slightly crushed, are then carried to the vat room in cone-shaped trolleys, allowing them to be raised above each vat and emptied inside by gravity alone.
As the fermentation takes place, for proper extraction of colour and aromas it is important that the grape juice is kept in contact with the skins and seeds which float naturally to the top of the vat and form a marc ‘cap’. A system called 'R'Pulse' injects air into the vat, breaking up the cap and softly mixing the skins and seeds with the juice without mechanical contact. This extremely gentle and homogenous extraction technique gives the wines more intensity and depth without introducing harsh tannins.
tailored treatment
What distinguishes Brane is that through vertical tastings, there's not a single vintage that sits below the rest. Every single wine is of the highest quality. And that's thanks to our terroir, of course, but also to us having made the right decisions for each vintage.
Florent Cillero
Cellar Master
press wine
the essential component of every blend
Far from being regarded as a sub-quality by-product of the winemaking process, we consider the press wine (the additional juice released from pressing the cap) as an essential component to the blend, and therefore we have chosen to invest significantly into developing our pressing technique.
With careful programming of precise pressing parameters, giving different levels of pressure cycles, we extract three distinct grades of juice from each press with strikingly different characteristics. These are then each kept separately in barrels right up to the blend, where they serve to give additional layers of complexity.
blending
With more control we get greater freedom
With an almost obsessive approach to control, analysis, and improvement, each year we obtain more than 200 different batches from which to make our blends. Different grape varieties from different plots; different grades of press wine and wines aged in different types of barrels.
The blends are decided from tasting alone. The 'heart' of each blend takes little time to identify as every effort has been made to preserve specific characteristics that we recognise from our terroir. From there, we experiment with around 30 combinations, attempting to add different layers of complexity whilst preserving the personality of each wine. Each time we taste, we get closer to the final blend, experimenting with smaller proportions until a precise and perfect balance is made.
ageing
100% new french oak without the slightest hint of oakiness
The terroir of Brane’s plateau offers fruit with such a high level of richness and structure that they are capable of being aged in 100% French oak barrels without ever becoming ‘oaky’ or losing freshness. Thus they can be aged to their full potential, gaining body, depth and aromatic complexity whilst maintaining a delightful silky texture.
The precise barrel and wine combinations are crucial to maintaining this fine balance. After decades of experimentation, we have selected no fewer than 28 different types of barrel and levels of toasting from 8 different cooperages. Each year, we continue to taste and re-taste samples during ageing to ensure consistency of style.
