The Loire terroir, and particularly that of Caves du Père Auguste, is renowned for the finesse of its white wines. Among them, demi-sec wines (medium-dry) hold a special place. But how do we achieve this subtle balance between freshness and sweetness? It is all a matter of mastering the fermentation process.

The starting point: fruit bursting with sugar

It all begins in the vineyard. A grape is, above all, a living fruit, rich in water, aromas, and especially natural sugars (glucose and fructose) accumulated through sunlight.

Once the harvest is complete, the grapes are carefully pressed to obtain the must (fresh grape juice). In the vat, magic happens naturally: indigenous yeasts (present on the grape skins) or selected yeasts spring into action. Their role is simple: they “eat” the sugar to transform it into alcohol and carbon dioxide. This is alcoholic fermentation.

From dry to demi-sec: a question of timing

If the yeasts are allowed to work until the end, they eventually exhaust all the sugar. The result is a dry wine (generally less than 2 grams of sugar per liter).

However, to create a demi-sec or a sweet wine, the winemaker must intervene to interrupt this process. This results in residual sugars: these are the natural sugars from the fruit that have not been converted into alcohol.

The cold mutage technique

To preserve this natural sweetness without adding external products, we use a precise physical method: thermal control.

• Thermal shock: When the balance between alcohol and sugar seems perfect, we abruptly lower the temperature of the vat to around 4°C.

• Stopping the yeasts: At this temperature, the yeasts go into dormancy and are then removed by filtration. The fermentation stops instantly.

• The result: The wine thus retains part of the grape’s original sugar, creating that smooth texture and the luscious notes characteristic of demi-sec wines.

Why choose a demi-sec wine from Père Auguste?

The challenge of a good demi-sec wine lies in its balance. It must not feel “heavy.” Thanks to the natural acidity of our grape varieties (such as Chenin), our demi-sec wines maintain great freshness on the finish.

They are the ideal companions for:

• Spicy dishes or exotic cuisine.

• Blue cheeses (pâte persillée).

• Fruit-based desserts.

• Or simply for the pleasure of a gourmet aperitif.

> Even sweeter but with the same alcohol level?