Winemaking

In Casablanca, work often begins before sunrise. Many wineries harvest their white grapes at night or in the first hours after midnight, while the camanchaca still hangs over the rows, keeping the berries as cool as the surrounding air. If the sun only appears after harvest, the juice loses less aroma on its way to the tank, and fermentation starts without heat stress.

Sauvignon Blanc almost always ferments in stainless steel tanks, cool and without any contact with wood. Malolactic fermentation is nearly unheard of here. This fermentation converts sharp malic acid into softer lactic acid—but it's exactly that sharpness people want in the glass at the end.

With Chardonnay, the path looks different. Part of it ferments in small French oak barrels. It then rests on its fine lees for months, the so-called sur lie, which gives the wine creaminess and a slightly nutty note. A second portion stays deliberately in stainless steel. The result is a blend that shows both fruit and texture at once.

Pinot Noir demands the most delicate handling of all. Its skin is thin, its tannin gentle. Too long or too rough a maceration quickly turns it bitter instead of silky. Some winemakers therefore ferment part of the grapes as whole clusters with stems, which gives the wine extra spice, before it ages for several months in used or only partially new French barrels.