Winemaker Notes
Chateau Henri Bonnaud is located in Le Tholonet village, 6km South-East from Aix-en-Provence. It is also there that we can find most of the plots of land classified in AOC Palette. Our plots are spread out over 14 hectares of the appellation which counts only a total of 42. “Palette” appellation is one of the most confidential of France, and we can find there beautiful wines with ageing ability.
Its terroir is made up of a chalky gravel soil called of “Langesse”. (a lakeside limestone of the tertiary era). The estate located in a natural amphitheater, protected from the mistral by the Langesse and Grand Cabri hills, and by the Cengle and Sainte-Victoire mountains, benefits from a microclimate.
Stéphane Spitzglous is an enthusiast, self-taught winemaker. In 2010, he made the choice of an organic farming as well as an organic wine production in 2012, and this, by deep conviction. He works in compliance with the environment. He is using neither artificial fertilizers nor weed killers.
Missing vines are replaced in a regular way to preserve plots where we can find old vines of more than 60 years old.
More than just a European vacation hotspot and rosé capital of the world, Provence, in southeastern France, is a coastal appellation producing interesting wines of all colors. The warm, breezy Mediterranean climate is ideal for grape growing and the diverse terrain and soil types allow for a variety of wine styles within the region. Adjacent to the Rhône Valley, Provence shares some characteristics with this northwestern neighbor—namely, the fierce mistral wind and the plentiful wild herbs (such as rosemary, lavender, juniper and thyme) often referred to as garrigue. The largest appellation here is Côtes de Provence, followed by Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence.
Provence is internationally acclaimed for dry, refreshing, pale-hued rosé wines, which make up the vast majority of the region’s production. These are typically blends, often dominated by Mourvèdre and supplemented by Grenache, Cinsault, Tibouren and other varieties.
A small amount of full-bodied, herbal white wine is made here—particularly from the Cassis appellation, of Clairette and Marsanne. Other white varieties used throughout Provence include Roussane, Sémillon, Vermentino (known locally as Rolle) and Ugni Blanc.
Perhaps the most interesting wines of the region, however, are the red wines of Bandol. Predominantly Mourvèdre, these are powerful, structured, and ageworthy wines with lush berry fruit and savory characteristics of earth and spice.
Full-bodied and flavorful, white Rhône blends originate from France’s Rhône Valley. Today these blends are also becoming popular in other regions. Typically some combination of Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier form the basis of a white Rhône blend with varying degrees of flexibility depending on the exact appellation. Somm Secret—In the Northern Rhône, blends of Marsanne and Roussanne are common but the south retains more variety. Marsanne, Roussanne as well as Bourboulenc, Clairette, Picpoul and Ugni Blanc are typical.