Located in Tain-l’Hermitage, Maison Chapoutier is one of the finest producers of Northern Rhone wines. Since Michel Chapoutier took control of this long-established family business in 1988 quality has gone from strength to strength. Robert Parker is a particular fan of Chapoutier, considering him to “be the world’s leading irreverent genius in winemaking and winemaking philosophy.”

Under Chapoutier’s passionate instruction, all the estate’s vineyards are now biodynamically farmed. He is also opposed to manipulation in the winery, avoiding acidification, filtration and fining. The result is a collection of wines which represent the essence of a vintage and terroir.

The single-vineyard cuvees are some of the most celebrated and rarest wines in the entire Rhone Valley with the ability to age for several decades. Chapoutier also produces lower-level wines which are ready for immediate drinking.

In 2007, the winemaking team took full control of production at a neighbouring house Ferraton where, similarly to Chapoutier, the wines come from the finest single vineyards and are biodynamically produced in very small quantities. Chapoutier also owns estates in Alsace, Roussillon, Portugal and Australia. In the future, they hope to expand into England.