To make fine wine, it is essential that the grapes are of perfect quality when picked. At the Moulin de Ciffre we carefully check the ripeness of the grapes and sort on the vine to make sure that only healthy, fully ripe grapes are harvested.

For red wines, after destemming, we use a traditional vinification with a long maceration, the fermented must being regularly pumped over the cap to obtain rich, concentrated wines. Temperatures are controlled permanently, and regular analyses and tastings are made to optimise the maceration of each tank.

Coteaux du Languedoc and a part of Saint-Chinian AOCs are left to mature in tanks, which brings out their distinctive fruity flavour.

For a selection of Faugères and Saint-Chinian, rich person and concentrated the cellar-work lasts a full year in oak barrels.
The amount of new oak varies as the vintage and the cuvée.
Only 20% was needed for the Saint-Chinian Fût, while this reached 65% for the Faugères Eole.
The amount of new oak has to be carefully judged to achieve the particular balance and complexity sought for the wine.

Viognier white wines are vinified and left to mature on the oak: the grapes are pressed and the must racked cold; the must is then put into oak barrels where fermentation takes place. Once it is complete, the lees are stirred to put the matter in the wine back into suspension, adding to the structure of the wine and increasing its extract and glycerine content.