Revelette

History of Château Revelette

Château Revelette has been a place of vines since the end of the Second World War, when the vine stocks gradually replaced the lavender and olive trees of a former 15th-century farmstead. The Avon family, owners from 1932, sold the bulk of their production in bulk at that time, before part of the estate was sold off in the 1970s.

The turning point came in 1985, when the Fischer family acquired the property and its first hectares of vines. Peter Fischer, an agronomic engineer originally from Baden-Baden, had learned high-tech viticulture and winemaking in the great Californian wineries, where synthetic yeasts and chemical treatments were commonplace. Drawn by the potential of the Provençal vineyard he had glimpsed at the oenological laboratory in Brignoles, he decided to make a radical change of direction. Having fallen in love with this wild estate and its formal French gardens, he replanted around twelve hectares between 1986 and 1990 and steered the estate towards organic farming from a very early stage. Today, his children Clara and Hugo support him in this pursuit of authentic wines.

Terroirs and Vines of Château Revelette

The Château Revelette vineyard extends over some thirty hectares spread across seventeen plots, terraced between 330 and 400 metres in altitude, in the hinterland of Aix-en-Provence. This northerly terroir, the most northerly in the Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence appellation, benefits from a marked continental microclimate: cold and harsh winters swept by alpine winds, hot and dry summers, with wide temperature variations. This altitude-driven freshness, combined with a beautiful red soil, gives the wines a solar ripeness balanced by a remarkable vivacity.

No fewer than eleven grape varieties make up the planting. For the whites, Chardonnay, Rolle, Roussanne, Ugni Blanc and Sauvignon produce aromatic and fresh wines. For the reds, Grenache, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon provide structure to the blends. Peter Fischer vinifies plot by plot to reveal the potential of each soil. Farmed organically and according to certain biodynamic practices, with compost additions and grass cover every other row, the vines yield intentionally limited harvests of around 30 to 35 hectoliters per hectare.

Vinifications of Château Revelette

Peter Fischer's motto sums up his philosophy: put nothing in the wine other than grapes. The vinifications are precise, carried out on clean and healthy grapes, in respect of the fruit and the terroir. The winemaker refuses to confine his wines to the categories of organic or natural, preferring instead the idea of terroir wines, pure and sincere, capable of capturing the place in its most raw state.

Depending on the cuvée, the aging process is adapted. The Fine Wines, sourced from the finest plots, undergo a long period in barrels (up to fourteen months, with a proportion of new oak) which brings them density, complexity and aging potential. The Pur range cuvées, by contrast, are vinified without any additives and with very little, or no, sulfite at all, for maximum drinkability and the most direct expression of the grape possible. This modulation of aging styles produces a coherent range, spanning from wines for immediate pleasure to great wines for cellaring.

The Cuvées of Château Revelette

Château Revelette Blanc: a Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence cuvée, typical of the hinterland. The discreet yet present fruitiness is accompanied by a beautiful iodized minerality and a fresh finish of citrus. Balanced and indulgent, it pairs ideally with aperitifs and goat's cheeses.

Château Revelette Rosé: a terroir rosé born from the harmony between the ripeness of the South and the freshness of the mountains. Indulgent and crunchy, with aromas of peach, apricot and red fruits, it offers a beautiful density and controlled acidity, perfect with grilled dishes and fish tartares.

Château Revelette Rouge: a full, generous and indulgent red with a strong Southern character, blending oriental spices and ripe fruit. The attack is broad and the texture generous, reflecting the magnificent terroir that Peter Fischer seeks out. A pleasure wine that is true to the spirit of the estate.

Le Grand Blanc: a fine wine sourced from the finest plots, Chardonnay-dominant, carefully aged. Rich, complex and deep, with a beautiful tension and remarkable aging potential, it ranks among the reference white wines of Provence.

Le Grand Rouge: a dense, rich and structured age-worthy cuvée, a blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache, aged for fourteen months in barrels, including a proportion of new oak. Its aromatic complexity evolves around red and black fruits, spices and pepper. A deep wine that benefits from decanting and pairs beautifully with game and braised meats.

Pur Blanc: an experimental and natural cuvée, vinified without additives and with very little sulfite. With a discreet nose of citrus, it displays a beautiful saline minerality and a fresh finish. Light and highly drinkable, it is ideal with oysters and Mediterranean fish.

Pur Rouge Grenache: pure Grenache vinified in the same philosophy, at once tender and powerful, much like its winemaker. The light and slightly hazy robe (unfiltered wine) precedes a nose of morello cherry that can evolve towards rose water, with present tannins and superb acidity. A natural red of great energy.