How is straw wine made?

Imagine a wine that requires more patience than a good aged cheese.

Unlike classic wines which go directly from the vines to the press, straw wine requires an additional step: the grapes are deliberately left to dehydrate for months.

We'll explain everything.

The walkway

The magic of natural concentration

The term passerillage simply refers to the controlled drying of grape bunches after harvesting.
Instead of immediately pressing the juice-filled grapes, the winemakers let them lose their water for several months.

The water evaporates, but the sugars, acids, and aromas remain trapped in each grain.

The result? A natural concentration that transforms an ordinary grape into a small aromatic bomb.

You might wonder why this technique isn't used everywhere? Because it requires absolute precision and specific climatic conditions.

From straw beds to modern hurdles

Historically, our winegrower ancestors arranged the grape bunches on beds of straw in their attics.

Hence the evocative name of this wine.

Today, straw has largely disappeared in favor of hurdles (openwork frames made of wood or plastic) or suspending the bunches on stretched wires.

The objective remains the same: to allow optimal air circulation around each cluster.

Drying rooms must be dry, ventilated and maintained between 5°C and 15°C.

We were fortunate enough to visit some estates where the attics filled with hanging bunches of grapes offered a mesmerizing sight.

The smell it gives off? A rather unique mix of ripe fruit and hay.

Patience rewarded

The drying process generally lasts between 6 weeks and 5 months, depending on the conditions and the desired level of concentration.

During this period, the grapes lose approximately 60% of their initial weight.
Do you grasp the magnitude of the challenge?
100 kg of fresh grapes only yield 15 to 20 liters of must, compared to 75 liters for a classic wine .

This inescapable mathematics explains why straw wine will never be a mass-market product.

From vine to bottle: an obstacle course

The ruthless selection of the grape harvest

September or October: this is the harvest time for straw wine.

Only absolutely perfect bunches are selected. The slightest damaged or slightly rotten berry could contaminate the whole bunch during the long months of drying.
Winegrowers therefore spend considerable time meticulously sorting their harvest.

The preferred grape varieties? Mainly Savagnin, Chardonnay and Poulsard for the white versions.
Sometimes, you can find rosé straw wines made with Trousseau or Poulsard grapes.

Pressing: extracting the essence

Between December and February, after several months of drying, the grapes look like real raisins.

The pressing is carried out with extreme delicacy to extract every drop of this precious, syrupy juice.

At this stage, the must displays an astonishing concentration: more than 320 grams of sugar per liter.

To give you an idea, a classic must weighs around 180-200 grams.
We are literally in another dimension of taste.

Can you imagine how viscous this juice is? Almost as thick as liquid honey.
This sugar content will pose a significant challenge to the yeasts.

A fermentation that takes its time

Yeast loves sugar, but not when there's so much of it.

The fermentation of a straw wine can last several months, unlike the usual few weeks.
The yeasts work slowly, gradually transforming the sugar into alcohol.

The process stops naturally when the alcohol reaches between 14% and 15.5% by volume.
At that point, there are still between 80 and 150 grams of residual sugars per liter.
It is precisely this residual sugar that gives the wine its much-appreciated sweet character.

Animal husbandry: the final touch of complexity

The wine then rests for a minimum of 3 years in small oak barrels, including at least 18 months in wood.

This long maturation process develops an extraordinary aromatic complexity.
The primary notes of fresh fruit evolve into aromas of candied fruit, acacia honey, and orange peel.
Spicy notes appear: cinnamon, saffron, sometimes a hint of ginger.

The wood provides its structure without ever dominating.

During this period, the wine stabilizes naturally and finds its harmony.

Discovering straw wine

A dress that signals concentration

The color ranges from amber gold to blond caramel, sometimes with mahogany highlights for older wines.
The shine is exceptional.

When the glass is swirled, thick tears can be seen slowly descending.
This is a sign of remarkable concentration and we can imagine the wealth that awaits us.

An aromatic festival

The olfactory explosion is immediate: prune, dried apricot, fig, date.
Then come notes of honey, candied orange, and quince. Sometimes spicy touches emerge: cinnamon, saffron. And often, a lovely note of toasted hazelnut in the background.

But the real test comes in the mouth.

And what about the taste?

The smooth texture immediately coats the palate.
The sugar is present, but never heavy or cloying, and the acidity plays its balancing role, bringing freshness.

The aromas perceived by the nose are confirmed and amplified.

The final? A persistence that lasts for several minutes.

And remarkably, despite the concentration, there is still an impression of freshness that makes you want to come back.

A potential for near-eternal preservation

A straw wine can be kept for a minimum of 50 years, often well beyond 100 years.
Thanks to its high sugar and acidity content, it withstands the test of time without faltering. On the contrary, it gains in complexity over time.

Notes of dried fruit, blond tobacco and leather appear.

But be careful not to confuse this treasure with its famous cousin from the Jura.

Straw wine or yellow wine? Avoid the confusion

These two stars have similar names, but they have nothing in common.

We actually offer both in our Parisian wine cellar.

If you're unsure, come see us for a tasting , to sample it and take the experience further.

FAQ

Why a half-bottle format (37.5 cl)?

Since it takes a huge number of grapes to produce just one liter, this format helps to keep the price affordable.
Moreover, its aromatic richness means that it is enjoyed in small quantities, like an elixir.

What is the impact of drying on the acidity of wine?

Acidity concentrates in the same way as sugar during the evaporation of water.
It is this acid/sugar balance that allows the wine to remain digestible, fresh and never seem cloying on the palate.

Is it true that straw wine can only be produced in "good" years?

Yes, because the passerillage process requires the finest bunches of grapes (in impeccable health) at harvest time.
If the autumn is too wet or if the grapes lack maturity, the risk of grey mold is too high, leading some winegrowers to forgo production that year.