Croix de Bois
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 5–20 years from the vintage release.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Roasted rosemary lamb, wild boar stew, grilled ribeye steak
✨ wine.spec_sheet
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.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Established in 1808 in Tain-l'Hermitage, M. Chapoutier is one of the Rhône Valley's most historic and revered wine producers, currently led by the visionary Michel Chapoutier who transitioned the estate to biodynamic farming in the 1990s. The maison is globally celebrated for its pioneering "sélections parcellaires" (single-vineyard wines) and its commitment to expressing the pure terroir of prestigious appellations like Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Utilizing traditional, low-intervention winemaking techniques, Chapoutier produces highly acclaimed reds and whites, including iconic labels such as the Châteauneuf-du-Pape Barbe Rac, Côte-Rôtie La Mordorée, and the Hermitage-derived La Sizeranne. Beyond the Rhône, the family has expanded its terroir-driven philosophy to exceptional estates in Roussillon, Australia's Victoria region, and Portugal's Douro Valley.