Winemaking Philosophy

As a master of élevage committed to a non-interventionist philosophy of winemaking, Patrick Lesec seeks to minimize the handling and processing of wine to preserve as much as possible the freshness, purity and complexity of the fruit inherent in the raw material. In a sense, these new techniques are a throw back to a time before many of the chemicals and technologies of modern winemaking were developed, while at the same time they represent refinements in the use of some of the new methodologies particularly with regard to barrel aging and bottling. These new techniques are most appropriate in small cellars where the éleveur can treat each barrel or tank individually. Style The goal is to produce natural wines which truly express the specific character or typicity of the grape variety and the unique qualities of the terroir. In a real sense, the emphasis on purity of fruit allows the specificity of the soil to shine through more clearly. Patrick Lesec's wines taste like their appellations. This is not an exercise in the production of vapid, international style varietal wines, but rather homage to the concept of terroir in the French style. Patrick Lesec wines typically are alive in the glass with bright and well-defined fruit aromas. On the palate, his wines exhibit clean, pure and ripe fruit characters. Oak is used as a tool to enhance the texture and richness of the wines, where appropriate, in a seamless way, and should not obtrude or overpower the fruit. Tannins are round and smooth, and the wines finish clean and dry with plenty of elegance and fruit. Viticulture In order to produce wines of this style and caliber, Patrick is committed to finding the best fruit available. He has spent years researching to locate vineyards with the best terroir, and where the grape varieties are properly matched with their optimal soil type. This is particularly true in the Languedoc and Southern Rhône where several grape varieties are grown on a range of soil types. He also searches for vineyards with older vines for increased character and concentration. Once he has located top quality vineyards, he arranges with the growers to limit yields through pruning and green harvesting. Like the age of the vines, reducing yield size increases concentration. Patrick is also a strong advocate of organic agriculture. In the period since World War II, the vitality and health of many of France's (and the world's) vineyards have been seriously compromised by a heavy regimen of and dependence on synthetic fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides. To restore life and health to the soil of the vineyards, Patrick and his associates advocate organic fertilizers and non-chemical means to control insects, molds, viruses and weeds. In many cases, simply restoring health to the vines is sufficient to keep many diseases and pests at bay. Many of Patrick's growers follow a principle called "lutte raisonée," which means they are committed in a non-dogmatic way to the use of organic techniques as much as is reasonable and to a reduction of their dependence on synthetics as much as possible without losing their crops. Some of the producers Patrick works with have or will qualify as certified organic producers. Others follow the principles of biodynamism, a philosophy which is wholly organic, but focuses on harmonizing agriculture with natural energy flows and the phases of the moon. Patrick also consults with his producers on the timing of the harvest. Whenever possible, he advocates bringing in fruit with the maximum of ripeness consistent with balanced natural acidity. Elevage Elevage is the art of making great wine. For Patrick the challenge is how, once you have achieved a harvest of great quality and intensity, to prevent the winemaking process from stripping character from the wine. Patrick tries to minimize the handling and processing of the wine. He believes that the more gently the wine is handled, the more freshness and purity of natural fruit it will retain. He is opposed to the use of pumps to transfer wine from container to container in favor of the more gentle use of gravity. Pumps agitate the wine unnecessarily and result in unwanted oxidation. For the same reason he advocates, where feasible, bottling by hand instead of by machine. Obviously, this can only be done with wines in small batches, and is not an option for larger, more industrial producers. We have seen numerous situations where wines that had fabulous quality in barrel or tank were stripped of much of their complexity, texture and character simply by the process of pumping and machine bottling. For the same reasons, Patrick is strongly opposed to filtration of wine. He feels that the risk of the wine developing a small deposit is not worth the compromise to quality. Patrick and most of his producers also work very hard to limit or eliminate (where possible) the use of sulphur dioxide in wine production. In many cases carbon dioxide is substituted as an antioxidant. Carbon dioxide is not as effective, and using it entails more risk and hands-on vigilance. As a result, its use is more appropriate in small cellars where the éleveur can keep a close eye on individual barrels. As a master éleveur, Patrick is finely attuned to the nuances of barrel and tank aging. He regularly experiments with barrels from different forests and different barrel-makers and follows very closely the quality of staves used in these barrels. Some wines are held solely in new barrels, others partly in new barrels and partly in one or two year old barrels, and yet others simply in older barrels. The barrel program is carefully conceived to enhance the character and style of each wine. The same is true with stainless steel tanks. Some wines are kept solely in tank to preserve the freshness of fruit and acidity, while others are blended in proportion with wines from barrel to add depth and complexity. A great deal of thought, experience and tasting goes into these decisions resulting in more complex, textured and interesting wines. The end result of all this hard work and dedication to quality is a wide-ranging portfolio of great wines from all the primary fine wine producing areas of France. Patrick Lesec and his new partner Jim Elston continue to search out first class sources of grapes and winemakers willing to take risks to produce great wine. Over the next few years, look for new producers from Sancerre, Pouilly Fumé, Bordeaux, Alsace, Gigondas, Châteauneuf du Pape and Languedoc-Roussillon.

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