M. Chapoutier : Bila-Haut Chrysopée 2024

Characteristics and tasting notes of the Collioure Blanc 2024 M. Chapoutier

Tasting

Colour
Beautifully clear, the wine displays a pale golden hue, subtly enhanced with green highlights.

Nose
The aromatic bouquet opens with notes of crisp stone fruit, evoking peach and apricot, delicately underscored by floral touches.

Palate
The palate opens with a fresh attack. It reveals a fine mineral tension and saline nuances typical of schist soils, extending in a long finish thanks to perfectly preserved acidity.

Food and wine pairing

This white wine pairs wonderfully with seafood specialities such as clam risotto, grilled fish or traditional Mediterranean dishes like bouillabaisse and bourride. It will also elegantly accompany shellfish such as scallops or shrimp.

Service and storage

For optimal enjoyment, this wine is best served at a temperature of 12°C. While it can be enjoyed young for its aromatic vivacity, ideally within three years of harvest, this wine also has ageing potential, allowing it to evolve favourably until around 2034.

The mineral and aromatic expression of a white wine from Roussillon

The estate

Founded in 1808, the house took on its true family identity in 1897 before becoming M. Chapoutier in 1955. Now led by Michel Chapoutier, a pioneer of biodynamics, the estate has expanded to explore new terroirs. In Roussillon, the Domaine de Bila-Haut, acquired from 1999 onwards, embodies this quest for authenticity. With a local vineyard of around 108 hectares, the estate produces distinctive wines, marked by a philosophy of absolute respect for living things and inclusion, symbolised by the braille writing found on every bottle.

The vineyard

The vineyard behind this Collioure wine thrives on an extreme and singular terroir. The vines are planted on steep terraces, rising from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea to nearly four hundred metres in altitude. The subsoil is composed mainly of brown Cambrian schist, offering a unique mineral foundation. Subject to a hot, dry climate, the vineyard benefits from cooling sea breezes. All the plots are farmed according to the strict principles of biodynamic agriculture, with no synthetic pesticides whatsoever, promoting soil vitality through organic matter and respect for lunar cycles.

The vintage

2024 was marked by a particularly dry winter and spring, with an unusually absent tramontane wind. Summer and spring rainfall was very low, creating a significant water deficit. These conditions led to poor bud break and instances of flower abortion, considerably reducing yields. However, ripening progressed steadily and evenly throughout the summer. Cooler summer nights and humidity brought by sea winds helped preserve the berries' acidity while maintaining exceptional vine health across the plots.

Winemaking and ageing

This wine is crafted according to a philosophy of minimal intervention, aiming to reveal the authenticity of the terroir. Fermentation begins naturally through the action of indigenous yeasts present on the grapes. Extraction is carried out gently to preserve the finesse of the juice. The use of wood during ageing is carefully calibrated, seeking to accompany and enhance the wine's aromatic profile without ever masking it.

Grape varieties

Grenache Gris, Grenache Blanc.