Each parcel is crushed into a fermenter and inoculated by select cultures. Each batch is vinified separately at controlled temperatures of 20C to 24C. Ferments are managed with pumpovers and drain returns to aerate as much as possible during the early stages, enhancing colour, flavour and tannin extraction. Parcels are pressed off skins into oak before beeing seeded with malolactic, a bacterial culture which converts natural malic acid to lactic acid, softening and stabilising the wine microbiologically. Each parcel is then assigned the most appropriate selection of seasoned and new, ancient French oak forest barrels. After twenty months maturation, the aged stocks are sampled to determine the final assemblage.