References in the archives of Montefalco, Etienne Becheras’s domaine is polycultural. It extends for 12 hectares principally within the confines of the village of Arras which borders and overlooks the Rhone River on the western side. The domaine farms organically. The five hectares situated on the flat lands along the Rhone are planted to cherry and apricot trees. Three are four hectares of vineyards which are planted on the limestone and gravel soils which mount in altitude and are on steep hillsides. The vineyards are placed on long terraces supported by hand-constructed stone walls. As a result, almost all work must be done by hand without the aid of mechanical implements. The remainder of the property is dedicated to forest where the ash and acacia trees are used as building and heating materials and offer the extra advantage of presenting ideal conditions for the growth of edible mushrooms and truffles!
The four hectares of vineyards are within the appellation of Saint Joseph. Only 4/10ths of a hectare are planted to the white grapes of Marsanne and Roussanne, enough to produce about four to six barrels (1200 to 1500 bottles) per year. The remaining 3.6 hectares are planted to Syrah with the various plots situated in the neighboring villages of Arras and Vion. In addition, Bécheras exploits an additional one hectare of vines further south in the village of Mercurol. From this site, a small amount of Crozes Hermitage Rouge is produced.
Farming
Lutte Raisonnée
Treatments
Copper sulfate, synthetic treatments when necessary
Ploughing
Annual hoeing and working of the earth
Soils
Limestone-clay and granite
Vines
Planted at 6,000-7,000 vines/ha and ranging from 8 to 65 years old
Yields
Controlled through severe winter pruning, debudding, and an occasional green harvest, yields average c. 35-40 hl/ha
Harvest
Entirely manual, usually in mid-September
purchasing
Entirely estate fruit
Fermentation
Following total destemming, red wines ferment spontaneously in concrete vats. Cuvaison lasts 20-25 days. White wines ferment spontaneously in 225-l barrels
Extraction
White wines see regular bâtonnage. Red wines see pumpovers, punchdowns, and racks and returns during fermentation
Chaptalization
None
Pressing
Vertical basket press
Malolactic Fermentation
Spontaneous, in tank following alcoholic fermentation
Élevage
White wines spend 12 months in new 225-l barriques. Red wines spend 18 months in 225-l barriques
Lees
Wines remain on fine lees until assemblage prior to bottling
Fining and Filtration
All wines are unfined, red wines are unfiltered. White wines are plate filtered
Sulfur
Applied at bottling, with c. 15 mg/l free sulfur
