Winemaking : The Cuvée des Générations Gaston Philippe is vinified in the same way as the Cuvée Tradition, only the initial blend and the ageing change. After having undergone an extremely thorough selection on the sorting table, the grapes are cooled down. The grapes are then blended at vinification.While Grenache is the heart of the mixture, Syrah enhances wonderfully the aromatic potential. Moreover, Syrah neutralizes the tendency towards premature oxidation of the Grenache grapes. The final balance of the wine would not be nearly as good if the different varieties of grapes were fermented separately and only mixed later on. Usually all the stalks are removed, but some can sometimes be left according to the ripeness of the stalks and the grapes. The cap of grape skins is treaded down twice at the beginning of alcoholic fermentation, followed by recirculation in large stainless steel tanks. After alcoholic fermentation, the wine remains on the dregs for another 5 – 10 days and is then transferred by gravity into concrete barrels for malolactic fermentation. Depending on the harvest, the wine ages during 14 to 18 months in new oak barrels.