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A sun-kissed, generous vintage, managed with precision
The 2026 harvest ended on September 26, bringing together Alma Cersius’ winegrowers and teams for a bountiful harvest amidst a particularly hot and sunny summer. Water reserves built up during the winter, the complementary nature of our terroirs, and careful monitoring of ripeness levels allowed us to manage these conditions with precision. First tastings reveal a balanced vintage characterized by bold fruit expression and preserved freshness.
The growing season began under favourable conditions. Winter and early spring rainfall replenished the vineyard’s water reserves, supporting even budburst and vigorous vegetative growth. The dense leaf surface subsequently provided the grape clusters with natural protection against solar radiation and intense heat. The development of cover crops also helped improve soil structure and resilience to drought, while adapting vineyard practices.
Throughout the hot, dry summer, marked by several heatwaves, the diversity of Alma Cersius’ terroirs played a vital role in the grapes’ ripening process. In Cers, sea breezes and cooler night temperatures helped preserve the grapes’ freshness and acidity balance. In Puimisson, the early-ripening nature of the hillside and plain areas fostered rapid maturation and excellent fruit expression. In Hérépian, located in the upper Orb Valley, the altitude and the temperature difference between day and night allowed for a more gradual ripening process, helping to maintain liveliness.
These dry conditions also fostered excellent grape health. At the end of August, moderate rainfall, accompanied by cooler nights, revitalized the ripening process of the red grape varieties and improved the vines’ water balance.
Running about ten days ahead of schedule, the first Sauvignon Blanc grapes were harvested as early as August 13 at the Cers and Puimisson sites. The harvest began on August 22 in Hérépian and ended on September 26 with the final Cabernet and Cinsault grapes. Throughout the season, monitoring of reference plots and regular berry tasting guided harvest decisions, closely coordinated with the scheduling of deliveries to the winery. For the white and rosé wines, the teams’ responsiveness made it possible to reach the optimal balance between sugar levels, aromatic expression, and freshness. For the reds, the decision to wait for full phenolic ripeness resulted in wines with deep colour and supple tannins.
Following a 2025 vintage marked by drought, this season sees a return to more consistent production volumes. This abundance, combined with the excellent sanitary quality of the grapes, required careful coordination between the vineyard and winery teams to manage the incoming harvest and meet the objectives for each wine profile.
The tastings reveal white wines with subtle golden hues and alluring aromatic finesse, blending citrus notes with ripe exotic fruits. Resting on the lees adds volume and roundness to the palate while maintaining a pleasant liveliness. The rosés display pale colours and expressive noses, characterized by fresh fruit and greediness, indulgent nuances, offering a clean, refreshing balance on the palate. As for the reds, they stand out for their intense colour and well-rounded tannins. Grape ripeness, combined with gentle extraction methods in the cellar, allows for the expression of ripe, generous fruit flavours without any harshness.
This pursuit of precision goes hand in hand with ongoing work on environmental practices. In the winery, hygiene protocols across the three sites have been reviewed in collaboration with the ICV consultancy laboratory, and the acquisition of foam cannons aims to improve cleaning efficiency while reducing water consumption. In the vineyard, the monitoring of cover crops continues, while at Puimisson, weekly assessment of water stress, conducted in partnership with the Aqua’viti network, allows irrigation to be adjusted precisely to the vines’ needs.
The work carried out in both the vineyard and the cellar is reflected in the initial profiles of the vintage, which combine generous fruit, suppleness, and freshness.
Join us in a few months to discover a vintage that captures the richness of our terroirs and the expertise of Alma Cersius’ winegrowers.