M. Chapoutier
Grand master in the Rhone
The history of the Chapoutier family dates back to 1808, today they own more than 240ha of vineyards in the Rhône valley. When Michel took over the helm from father Max in 1989, he immediately made his mark on "his" wines. For example, they work biodynamically and Michel prefers to make monocépage wines. This is to combine the true expression of the grape variety with the unique terroirs at its disposal.
Out of respect for its natural nature, he bottles his wines unclarified and unfiltered. Michel is responsible for the vinification of the wines himself, although he is always happy to have the advice of his oenologist, Alberic Mazoyer.. His drive to always want to improve underlines his constant innovation and innovative winemaking techniques. Similarly, installations were recently renewed and a new basement was built in 2010.
"En 1989, je savais faire du bruit... aujourd'hui, je sais faire de la musique" - Michel Chapoutier
No doubt Chapoutier is known worldwide for his sublime Hermitage wines, of which he owns 33ha of vineyards. The average age of the vines is between 75 and 80 years, so yields are very low. Of course, this only benefits the quality! Its red cru comes from the Syrah grape, the white from the Marsanne. The grapes are de-ripened to avoid excessive and tart wood flavor.
In Châteauneuf-du-Pape, where he owns domain La Bernardine, he makes Barbe Rac as a special cru. This 100% grenache wine comes from a small plot planted in 1901. Again, small returns are no exception. With an annual production of only 6,000 bottles, we should count ourselves lucky if we get a few bottles down to our cellar.
Michel Chapoutier knows how to make special cru's in other appellations as well. In Côte Rôtie we find the red La Mordorée, in Crozes-Hermitage the red Les Varonniers and finally in Saint-Joseph Les Granits, both in white and red. Again 100% Syrah for the reds, 100% Marsanne for the whites.
Other Rhone appellations like Cornas or Condrieu Michel Chapoutier certainly doesn't shy away from. Even lesser known appellations al Coteaux du Tricastin or Saint-Péray certainly do not put him off.. Of course other cépages like Viognier, Grenache Blanc or Bourboulenc are sometimes used here for white and Cinsault, Mourvèdre and Carignan for red. Even in the village appellations Côtes du Rhone, he manages to get the best points in many a wine competition each time with his magnificent cuvée Belleruche.
Fac & Spera (Do and Hope) - Maison M. Chapoutier's motto
Wine across borders
Michel Chapoutier creates terroirs no one else would dare, no one would bet a penny on. In the Rhône Valley, the home of the house, then in Roussillon, Australia and Portugal, the terroirs were waiting for the right moment to reveal themselves. The exciting quest of domains and vineyards begins with discovering a region, a soil and a climate where a specific grape variety can express itself. With the know-how of people and tradition, each appellation is the snapshot of a terroir or several terroirs.
Very early on, Michel Chapoutier chose to open up to the world. A Banyuls from M. CHAPOUTIER, who would have thought? However, it was the first time Michel fell in love outside the Rhône Valley. This intuition and this courage have never stopped since then. He likes to decipher barren, abandoned or difficult soils and wants to give them an interpretation.
"There are very few bad terroirs, there a lot of misunderstood terroirs."
His next challenge: Roussillon. The potential of this region is exceptional, probably one of the most incredible terroirs in France. Its history is intense and sometimes violent. The complex geology, terraces and southern climate tempted Michel Chapoutier.
His search took him all the way to Australia, in the Victoria region. Michel has always loved Australia for its landscapes, Aboriginal culture and exciting geological diversity. Here the Shiraz variety suggests a fantastic range of expressions. He worked with his methods and his know-how to create elegant wines with great mineral purity.
The next step will be the Douro region in Portugal. Here Michel Chapoutier is interested in the granite soil and has a penchant for dry wines based on the Touriga Nacional variety.
All these soils have something to say. After listening to them and working closely with them, he gives the wines their character and expression. Terroir is a combination of soil, climate and man's know-how. It is impossible to make the best wine. Trying to get the best possible snapshot of a terroir is the winemaker's art. It is not about making technical wines, but about serving the terroir and letting it express the truth. Man can make or destroy a terroir.
"Michel is a "pathfinder," a free man in a free world ... he explores tirelessly."
Biodynamics at Maison M. CHAPOUTIER
2024 is a year of celebration for biodynamic viticulture, as it celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. To mark the occasion, we take a look at the beliefs and biodynamics at Maison M. CHAPOUTIER.
Biodynamics has its roots in 1920 with Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian philosopher and scientist. His idea was simple: a plant never lives alone, but belongs to an ecosystem. It finds nutrition in the soil and grows with the energy provided by light.
Maison M. CHAPOUTIER is a pioneer in biodynamics. Since 1991, biodynamics has been central to the philosophy of M. CHAPOUTIER. Biodynamics is an approach in which work on the land is guided by ancestral agricultural wisdom. In biodynamics, the nature of things must not be changed. It involves observation, perception and being inspired to support the life of the plant. It seeks to create a connection between the infinitesimal, the microbial life of the earth, and the infinitesimal, the influence of the planets.
The starting point: the desire to improve the quality of the wines so that they have the flavor of their terroir. This could only be achieved through respect for the vineyard and the land. Hence a reversal, both technically in the vineyards and morally, to be in osmosis with his convictions.
With nature as our guide, humility is a necessity.
King of Hermitage
Hermitage hill hides a treasure. It is the only appellation in the world where we can find the four geological eras: from the primary era to the Quaternary. Michel Chapoutier was aware of this tremendous advantage and decided to vinify the grapes of such expressive terroirs separately. This is the essence of our single vineyard selections. Here the terroir is expressed unhindered. It tells us all about the specificities of the soils, about the climate (in which the crop year plays a key role) and about human know-how. Michel Chapoutier reminds us that "correcting the vintage is a kind of lie". This is where biodynamic culture takes on its full meaning.
"Genius cannot thrive without hard work." - Michel Chapoutier
Ode to Monier de la Sizeranne
Since 1996, all labels from Maison M. CHAPOUTIER wine information in braille. This is a tribute to Maurice Monier de la Sizeranne, the inventor of the first abbreviated version of Braille and founder of the Valentin Haüy association, which helped bring the blind and visually impaired out of isolation. There is even a wine that bears his name, from a plot that belonged to his family. This is a way to give something back to someone who has made a real contribution.
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