In the wine world of the Rhône, certain names carry significant weight. One such name is M. Chapoutier, a historic maison that seems to have developed an almost telepathic rapport with the tasters of Wine Advocate and its founder, the legendary Robert M. Parker Jr. It is no exaggeration; over the past few decades, it has become almost a tradition for each vintage to bring with it a wine from the house that touches the heights of a 100-point Parker score.
And it is not merely that Chapoutier produces two or three select labels. We are talking about over fifty wines, spread across some of the most prestigious appellations of the Rhône Valley: Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, Saint-Joseph, Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu, or Châteauneuf-du-Pape. And as if that weren't enough, the firm also leaves its mark in other regions of France and even in places as far-flung as Australia and Portugal.
Within this vast catalogue, their wines stand out for their ability to express the terroir with an almost didactic clarity. One such wine is Les Granits, one of the purest interpretations of the northern Rhône.
M. Chapoutier Les Granits is a wine born from vineyards harvested by hand and at their optimal ripeness, a practice that at Chapoutier is not marketing but philosophy. Here, everything begins with the soil.
The vineyard is set on a brown "Tournon" granite soil, a coarse-grained granite featuring black micas and fractured quartz inclusions. The plot is arranged in terraces facing south-southeast, an exposure that allows the grapes to achieve a slow and balanced maturation, crucial for attaining depth without losing freshness.
In the winery, the approach is respectful and minimally interventionist. After destemming, vinification takes place in small concrete vats, where fermentation begins with indigenous yeasts. The use of sulphur is moderate, and maceration extends for three to four weeks, sufficient time to extract structure but also elegance. Afterwards, the wine undergoes ageing for about 18 months in barrels and small wooden vats, with only 15% new oak.
Les Granits is a deep and structured red, with notes of black fruit, spices, graphite, and that mineral touch that precisely echoes what its name promises: granite.