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“The philosophy of our vinification is based on the respect of the fruit.  Every aspect of the winemaking process is managed smoothly!”
                                                                                                                                                                                  -  Pierre-Gilles Gromand d'Evry
Depending on the vintage and before the alcoholic fermentation, we operate « saignées » (we bleed off a portion of red wine after only a short period of contact of the juice with the grape skins) on every vat (from 10 to 15%), aiming at offering a better fruit concentration on Chateau de Lamarque and Donjon de Lamarque. These « saignées » will be vinified separately and offer a rosé wine. 

After fermentation and the draining, a second wine, Donjon de Lamarque is elaborated with the youngest grapes of the vineyard with a high blending of Merlots (up to 60%) and Cabernets (40% of cabernets sauvignon and cabernets francs). The merlots could actually be part of the Château de Lamarque blending but that would change the traditional grape repartition of this wine. 

Donjon de Lamarque is aged in French oak barrels (all coming from the French region of Allier) for about 12 to 14 months before being bottled. The way we pick the barrels is extremely meticulous being guided by the idea of respecting the harmony between the oak tannins and the wine tannins. Every year the pairing is different. We traditionally use 2 vintage-old barrels for D de Lamarque. 

Racking happens every 4 months; the ageing process ends with a natural egg-white filter. When we bottle the wine we do not use any chemical filter, only a slight sieving. 

Donjon de Lamarque is a fleshy wine on the fruit with vanilla notes and underwood aromas. It presents a well-balanced body and a great length on the palate.  It is definitely a wine you can cellar up to 10 years.