M. Chapoutier
The story of M. Chapoutier began in 1808, from the creation of ‘Calvet et Compagnie’ in the Rue de l’Hermitage in Tain. in 1897, a change of ownership was bought in a new name. Marius Chapoutier joined forces with Rodolphe Delépine to rename the company ‘Delépine et Chapoutier’, and began exporting wines to Holland, Switzerland and Germany. Rodolphe Delépine, who had been responsible for the accounts, retired and the company was renamed ‘Chapoutier et Compagnie’. In 1929, Marius created a new winery at the foot of the Hermitage hill. 8 years later his son Marc succeeded him and took over the business. Seeking to personalize the business, Marc Chapoutier gave it his name – ‘M. Chapoutier’.
Michel Chapoutier became head of the company and began to apply his belief in biodynamic cultivation. The company grew and wine estates were purchased throughout the world.
Michel Chapoutier is a unique man with a thirst for knowledge, definitely one of a kind. Michel is open-minded and always willing to learn. He seeks to discover and reflect the full potential of his terroirs and let the soils express their true character. That which gives the wines their signature style. This now forms the basis of the M. CHAPOUTIER ethos and their team strives to reveal the very best of what the soils have to offer.
During the 19th century an Austrian scientist, Rudolf Steiner, laid the groundwork for biodynamics. His idea was simple: a plant never lives alone, it belongs to an ecosystem. It finds nutrition in the ground and it grows with the energy provided by light. It sounds simple but it was a revelation at its time. In 1991 Michel Chapoutier made the decisive choice to apply these biodynamical methods to the vine. His choice was questioned by many at that time, but Michel remained confident about one thing: he would reveal the truth of the terroirs. A battle of natural elements that work together. Chemical pesticides and herbicides are banned.
Unique, unconventional, curious about everything, Michel Chapoutier’s mind has never been static. Michel is always on the move, so are his ideas, his tastes and his wishes. “If I stay still, I fall.” Michel is a “wine-lover” and “life-lover”, he is enthusiastic and selfless. Michel’s wine-journey began when he was 26 years old. He became head of M. Chapoutier and was not an inheritor. His choices and his vision were disruptive. He stood up against principles of the past and preconceived ideas. A wine grower? We would rather say a farmer. A man close to the earth, in a thorough quest for revealing terroirs and finding the expression of soils through the Taste of wines.
