LE ROCHER DES VIOLETTES

Xavier Weisskopf founded Le Rocher des Violettes in 2005 having studied winemaking in Chablis and Beaune and completed a degree in oenology and viticulture. He began to work at Château de Saint Cosme in Gigondas and was quickly promoted to chef de cave.

Xavier acquired old vine site parcels in Montlouis, mostly planted pre-WWII, with some parcels reaching 120 years old! He immediately converted his 13 hectares to certified organic viticulture and all grapes are picked by hand. The results are beautifully textured, individual dry wines with bags of personality and laser precision.

We are delighted with the addition of our first “Pet Nat” (Pétillant Original) to the range. Despite being a relatively new sparkling to the market, the méthode ancestrale pre-dates Champagne. The must is fermented at low temperatures in stainless steel tanks. The wine is then bottled during the primary fermentation while still containing 14 grams of residual sugar. It continues to ferment in bottle while releasing carbon dioxide. The bottles rest 28 months on lees. They have no dosage at disgorgement. The resulting wine is dry, chalky and saline with a fine mousse.

“Touche Mitaine” comes from a 4-hectare parcel located on the slopes of Saint Martin le Beau. The terroir is 1.5m of clay/silex stones before hitting pure chalk. 75% of the wine is vinified in old oak and 25% in stainless steel.

Xaxier’s “Negrette” cuvée comes from a parcel of vines planted in 1922 on a south facing slope of dense clay and silex stones before hitting pure chalk. The wines are vinified in old oak and 30% new oak.

In 2017 Xavier purchased a 0.26 ha parcel of vines planted circa 1900 in Le Grand Poirier from Michel Morin. This cuvée, Les Vignes de Michel, pays tribute to Michel who all his life has worked the vines, shared his knowledge and helped to put Montlouis on the map.

The old vine “Côt” (Malbec) comes from a single parcel of 1 hectare on sandy clay soils. The vines are an average age of 80 years old with the oldest plantings dating back to 1891. 50% of the wine is made by whole cluster fermentation and are aged in large oak barrels for 14 months.

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