Croix de Bois
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 5–20 years from the vintage release.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted rosemary lamb, wild boar stew, grilled ribeye steak
✨ Technical Specifications
M. Chapoutier's 'Croix de Bois' is a magnificent single-vineyard (sélection parcellaire) Châteauneuf-du-Pape that serves as a pure, vibrant monument to the Grenache grape. Sourced from a specific parcel in the commune of Bédarrides, the vineyard is renowned for its soil of large quartzite pebbles (galets roulés) over red clay, which absorb the intense Mediterranean sun by day and radiate heat back to the vines at night. Adhering strictly to biodynamic principles, the grapes are harvested at peak maturity and fully destemmed. Uniquely, the wine is fermented and aged entirely in concrete vats for 14 to 16 months, deliberately avoiding oak to preserve the pristine, explosive red fruit character, garrigue spice, and mineral precision of the terroir. The name 'Croix de Bois' (Wooden Cross) evokes the rustic, spiritual heritage of the southern Rhône, where ancient landmarks still dot the sun-drenched landscape.
🍾 About the Producer
Founded in 1808 in Tain-l'Hermitage in the Rhône Valley, M. Chapoutier has grown into one of France's most celebrated wine houses, propelled to international acclaim following Michel Chapoutier's visionary leadership in 1990. A pioneer in biodynamic viticulture and minimal-intervention winemaking, the estate is revered for its single-vineyard 'sélections parcellaires' that articulate the purest nuances of individual terroirs across the Rhône and beyond. Iconic for incorporating Braille script on every label since 1996, Chapoutier produces benchmark expressions of Syrah, Marsanne, and Grenache across prestigious appellations including Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
🍇 Grape Varieties
Grenache 100%
🍷 Alcohol By Volume (ABV)
14.5-15.5%