wines and attributes the success Pavelot enjoys to exactly these two variables. To help accomplish the high vine age, Camus practices repiquage, or the replacement of individual vines when they die rather than the wholesale grubbing up of sections of vineyards; it's a more expensive process but pays obvious dividends if high vine age is the goal. Camus professes to prune neither short nor long but is quick to point out that every other bud is assiduously removed; he believes that a longer cane and careful ébourgeonnage make for both low yields and good aeration. In especially generous years, Camus admits that even careful pruning sometimes isn't enough and since 1998, he will also do a green harvest just before the véraison, or that period when the grapes begin to turn color. The harvest itself is done manually with sorting that occurs in the vineyard and the grapes are then placed in pierced containers to eliminate any trace of oxidized juice that would emanate from prematurely crushed grapes. The winemaking is fairly traditional with 100% destemming (though before 1992, there was anywhere from none to 50%) followed by 4 to 7 days of cold maceration and total cuvaison of around 14 days, during which the cap is punched down from one to three times per day and there is usually one remontage, or pump over per day. Once the cuvaison is finished, the new wine is racked off and settled for up to 48 hours and then into barrel, of which about 30% are new. Camus firmly believes in working with the lees if they are clean and since his triage and débourbage work is designed specifically to give him this effect, he never racks until just before the mise, which generally occurs about 15 to 16 months after the harvest. Fining and filtration decisions depend entirely upon the quality of the vintage; for example, 2000 was not filtered whereas 2001 was. Camus describes 2001 as more structured and nervous than 2000 but not necessarily better. Yields were in the 42 to 45 hl/ha range with good overall sugar and acid levels. And in contrast to many domaines, he reported to me that there was very little triage necessary. (A Patrick Lesec Selection with various regional importers including Classic Wine Imports, Boston, Massachusetts and The Stacole Company, Boca Raton, Florida). Note: from 80 year old vines More of everything with old vine intensity but not as much density as one might expect from vines of this age. I do like the precision and this is reasonably elegant for a Savigny villages.    (hide)