After de-stemming and crushing, the grapes were loaded to tanks to undergo a 4-week maceration. During fermentation were realized daily pumping-over, and also a “délestage” (rack-and-return) at the early stages of fermentation. The aim of these operations was to gradually and softly extract the grapes phenolic potential. This primary fermentation was followed by malolactic fermentation in tanks. The wine was then racked to new French oak barrels to be matured for 6 months, after what it was transferred to 50 hl oak tanks where it was aged for another 6 months. A natural refining with egg white was carried out after those 12-months. Maturation gave Domaine du Gouyat time to open up, and to find its harmony with spicy aromas and tannins communicated by oak.