DIVE INTO RAPATEL
CLEAN WINES
In Catalan, Rapatel means "Hot sun", in connection with the vineyard located to the southeast of Nîmes, and it was the former farm of the neighboring Catalan monastery. Gérard Eyraud, after a brief career as a Camargue bullfighter ( no bull killing), chooses to take over after his grandfather the family estate of 29 ha of vines.
COLORFUL CULTURE
This sacred figure peasant gypsy style winemaker practices a natural culture but since he does not like paperwork, so he has no certification and doesn’t claim to be a « natural » winemaker. He chooses to have no appellation either, his wines are in « Vin de France ». Why so, well he was fed up with the administration and regulation from Languedoc and the Rhône valley, and anyway he's in Camargue and he makes Mas Rapatel and that’s all mater for him. But what is the Rapatel style?
ANCIENT FARMING
With a keen eye for optimal maturity, he works his guts out in the vineyard, looking after the biodiversity of dragonflies, ladybirds, and butterflies, he practices grassing for any organic contribution. For the treatment he uses cheese whey against powdery mildew, sulfur and copper are only used when it’s needed. Tillage of this typical terroir made of gres soil, with round pebbles, and clay complete this attention to the vines.
CLEAN MANIAC
But also in his cellar clean as a whistle with daily pumping over on each vat to aerate the juices slowly, and does long aging to accustom them to the air. And this is extremely important because Gérard adds absolutely nothing to his wines, he only guides and accompanies them.
His wines are in his image, mature, concentrated, and generous, with a perfect balance and they won’t leave you indifferent.
RAPATEL WINE LIST
VIN DE PAYS DU GARD RED
A light blend of all the red grapes (Grenache, syrah, carignan, mourvèdre, cinsault, merlot & cabernet sauvignon ) with a real taste of smoky thyme & rosemary
VIN DE PAYS DU GAR WHITE
The easy going white blend of the vineyard with Roussane viognier chardonnay
FACILE GRENACHE RED
Highly drinkable wine with 100% Grenache, young vines of 22 years old
PETIT JOURNAL RED
Second Press of all the red grapes varieties, very concentrated (Grenache, syrah, carignan, mourvèdre, cinsault, merlot & cabernet sauvignon )
PETITE SIGNATURE RED
Blend of Carignan, Cinsault, Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah sensuality and delicacy of this concentrated red wine, very ripe, but not very tannic.
PETITE SIGNATURE WHITE
(Grenache, Marsanne)
PETITE SIGNATURE ROSÉ
(Grenache, Carignan)
CUVEE CARAQUE RED
Blend of Syrah 2008 & 2009
CUVEE 43 WHITE
Blend of Grenache 85% from 2016 vintage and Muscat 15% from 2018
GRANDE SIGNATURE WHITE
Blend of Bourboulenc, Maccabeu, and Chasan. Oxidation is always under control, it's round, it's long, a pure wonder.
GRANDE SIGNATURE RED
This cuvée is made with old vines of Grenache and Syrah (50/50), it is balanced, complex and it tastes the south of France. It's really big, very big.
CLOS CYRIL RED
Great wine from the estate which unfortunately burnt in 2018, on Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
REBUS SYRAH RED
Made from 60-year-old Syrah vines
REBUS CARIGNAN RED
Made from 55-year-old Carignan vines
REBUS GRENACHE RED
Made from 70-year-old Grenache vines
BOHEMIENNE RED
Soleira of 5 vintages (11=>15) of Grenache, bluffing!
GINIE PET NAT
Clairette in méthode ancestrale
RAPATELISSIME SWEET RED
A vintage of old Carignan which Gérard décided to fortify. It gives a port-style perfect for the sweet tooth
ASK US FOR PRICE LIST
We’ve been obsessed with discovering clean artisan winegrowers for several years - let us show the best we’ve found! Contact us so we send you more informations about them !