Quotes

“On our Villages white, the Marsanne brings the structure that the Viognier lacks.”
Philippe Chaume

“Our wines need two winters – the Vinsobres terroir means they are very closed in their first year – so that rule applies to our Côtes du Rhône and to our Vinsobres.”
Philippe Chaume

“2010 is more air-filled (aerien), fresh than 2009 - it is very round and unctuous; after 2009 one needs a 2010.”
Philippe Chaume

“Our 2012 harvest lasted three weeks, not the usual four, to avoid very, very high degree wines.”
Philippe Chaume

“We always have reduction on our whites; I don’t vinify on the lees, to avoid excess fat and heaviness.”
Philippe Chaume

“We harvest by the ripeness of the pips – when they are ripe to eat and crack. In 2012 they were ripe quickly, in 2011 they were late to ripen.”
Philippe Chaume

“The Côtes du Rhône Villages white is a wine for gastronomy: it goes well with cooked scallops, fish in sauce, cheese.”
Thibaud Chaume

“March is when our whites always change and emerge.”
Valérie Chaume-Arnaud

“2016 is a joyous vintage that didn’t need intervention. The wines are rich, concentrated.”
Valérie Chaume-Arnaud

“We only had half a harvest in 2017. I like it a lot because it’s fresh. There was frost on 21 April, hail in early May at Saint-Maurice that left the ground white, then drought, so we had a lot to contend with.”
Valérie Chaume-Arnaud

“In 2018 we lost 20%, but that was due to combat by us. We did the first copper treatment on a Sunday, then daily surveillance, with 12 treatments of small doses, and we dropped leaves. We had five young students for a month – it was a good decision, and we had the luck to find them. It’s not a keeping year, but the wines are of a high standard, especially the Côtes du Rhône.”
Valérie Chaume-Arnaud