Strictly terroir

24 Nov 2017
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< 1 min read
For the last two hundred years in the Rhone Valley, and today also in the Roussillon and in Australia, Chapoutier has been producing some of the greatest wines: Hermitage, Côte Rôtie, Chateauneuf du Pape, Saint-Joseph, Crozes Hermitage, Luberon. The vineyards are cultivated either organically or biodynamically to respect the terroir and all their labels are also in braille..
A cultivated winery

Since the beginning of the adventure in 1808, 7 generations have contributed to build one of the finest estates in the Rhone Valley. M. Chapoutier has spread itself across the Rhone region years after years and has diversified its offering with wines coming from the best appellations such as Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, Saint-Joseph, Ardèche, Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu, Châteauneauf-du-Pape, Banyuls, and Roussillon. Today, M. Chapoutier is the biggest vineyard owner within the Hermitage appellation.

Michel Chapoutier took over the direction of the winery in 1990, which is still independent and family owned. His dynamism led to the winery expansion in other French wine regions and across French borders like his tremendous adventures in World countries, Portugal, Spain and Australia being the most exciting of them all where the family now owns three estates.

The family winery also faced radical changes in its winemaking and vineyard management approach when Michel converted the entire estate to biodynamic farming. Michel also introduced the brail language on the labels and he had a strong input on the creation of the Best French Student Sommelier Challenge.

M. Chapoutier wines are crafted with uttermost attention and respect. Winemaking and vineyard management are the strictest representation of the terroir and the vintage, like a portraitist would discreetly signs at the bottom of his work.

Strictly speaking, the “Chapoutier style” does not exist. However, it is possible to find similar characteristics amongst our wines. Our philosophy and the way we work automatically subordinate to mandatory characteristics of expression in the wines:

  • Great complexity and finesse.
  • A lasting length in the mouth, more important than the mouth feel; itself more important than the nose.
  • Minerality, flavours and texture.

 

Find out more aboutChapoutier wines here |www.chapoutier.com