Château Galoupet Cru Classé 2022

Shaped by the Provençal winds, Château Galoupet has its very own microclimate. The Mistral blows in from the north and sea breezes from the south and they meet in the vineyard which is protected from extremes by the mountains and the islands. These tempering winds lend themselves to the organic winemaking process. They purify the soils, prevent disease and aid aroma development.

We have identified three distinct soil types at Château Galoupet at different stages of fusion and decomposition: quartzphyllite, shale sandstone and collovium (gravel). We take care of each micro-terroir differently, depending on its position in relation to the mountains and the sea.

In 2022, our plot-by-plot management approach and agroforestry revealed rewards in the vineyard. The conversion to organic and the extended use of cover-crops significantly increased the total microbial floral life in the soils, bacteria alone multiplied by 30 in one year. Spring was unusually dry and summer extremely hot, so ripening occurred 10 days earlier than the year before. For the first time, the harvest started and ended in the same month. It began on August 10th and finished on August 31st, despite an unexpected break: at 6.07am on August 17th, a huge hailstorm caused drastic damage across the estate. Around 35% of the crop was lost in just 4 minutes. Château Galoupet Cru Classé 2022 is a miraculous wine, saved by meticulous micro-selection on 39 individual plots farmed organically.

Château Galoupet Cru Classé is crafted from our own grapes, grown on small individual plots in conversion to organic viticulture (FR-BIO-16).

Inspired by the positive reception of the first vintage and the new vision of the Château Galoupet Cru Classé wine signature: complex, full-bodied with a mineral finish, this vintage is a rare expression of our multi-faceted terroir and fine craftsmanship. Thanks to our investment in a second new press to replace the outdated model, the grapes retained a beautiful freshness and intensity. The precise expression of each variety was enabled through plot-by-plot vinification and masterful accuracy regarding the impact of the barrels on the wine. 30% of the wines were selected for vinification in 600 ltr French oak demi-muids (62% new and 38% one-year-old) and left to age on fine lees for 4 to 5 months before final blending on January 10th.