Domaine de la Charbonnière

Domaine de la Charbonnière was bought by Eugène Maret in 1912 to please his wife, native from Chateauneuf du Pape and winemaker's daughter of the appellation. Fernand Maret, their son, inherited a part of the estate and enlarged it at the birth of the next generation, Michel. Today, Michel Maret and his two daughters Caroline and Véronique have:

• 19 hectares 50 spread out on Châteauneuf du Pape appellation;

• Nearly 6 hectares of AOP Vacqueyras

• 2 hectares of AOP Côtes du Rhône.

Under the benevolent eye of their parents, the 4th generation dedicates themselves to the vine culture until the wines making. In respect of family traditions, they continue the work of plot selection set up by their father, of reasoned and sustainable culture to produce complex and elegant wines.

Today, all wines are vinified and aging by Véronique; even if her father is still around during the Vinification season. Each vintage is unique because soils and climate conditions determine wines’ character.

We produce wonderfully well-balanced wines that combine the intensity and depth of fruit with finesse and elegance. Our wines have been distinguished repeatedly by the most prestigious journalists of the World (Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator, Bettane & Desseauve, Decanter, Hugh Johnson, Jancis Robinson, John Livingstone ...).

“One of my favorite estates in the southern Rhone, Domaine de la Charbonnière is run with great passion and enthusiasm One of their most under-valued and under-rated wines is their sensational Vacqueyras. They consistently produce four cuvees of Châteauneuf du Pape that are traditionally made.” Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

« A fantastic estate, Domaine de la Charbonnière is run by the Maret family, with the two daughters, Caroline and Veronique, taking more and more responsibility. The wines are made by Veronique and the estate produces five, sometimes six (including the white) Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a solid Vacqueyras, and a Cotes du Rhone. For the most part, the wines are traditional in style and age gracefully.” Jeb Dunnuck

"Domaine de la Charbonnière may not be one of the big-name labels in Châteauneuf, but don't let that stop you. As a seamless transition from father to daughter takes place, the house style remains very much in place, while prices for the wines are more than fair for the quality level." James Molesworth, Wine Spectator

 « Thanks to a judicious selection of terroirs, the estate produces various very typical cuvées. » Bettane & Desseauve

«In constant progress for a few vintages, the Charbonnière constitutes a serious and regular winery of Châteauneuf du Pape. Thanks to beautiful terroirs located on the Crau and Brusquières plateau, the Maret family produces fairly typical and classic wines from the appellation, available in several cuvées.» Guide des meilleurs vins de France - RVF

Our philosophy? Organic and sustainable raisonné grape-growing. We combine both cultures in order to let grapes thriving and to pick them in the best conditions. Also, taking care of our land is important because in fact what we are looking for is the best expression of soil “Le terroir”.

For every vintage, 90% of works are done in the vineyards. Every year, we reconsider each task to each parcel of vines because of climatic conditions, observation of the vine, type of terroirs, maturity...

Our winter, chores are pruning and the traditional ploughing that may seem straightforward at first glance, but in fact demand great care. In springtime and summer, it is time for the meticulous ebourgeonnage and the removal of surplus unripe grapes and surplus leaves – which are done by hand-. Balance and concentration (aromas and fruits) are our goals.

In September, we prepare the harvest by close observation and tasting the berries. The harvest lasts 15 days on nearly one month, going from an earliest-ripening to the latest-ripening plots. It is only a question of patience and we have to keep in mind that every vintage is different and has its shares of surprises..

Lastly, harvesting reflects perfectly our philosophy for the respect of tradition: all grapes are picked by hand and sorted twice (once in the vineyard and the second on the manual sorting table), so that Veronique receives the healthiest possible fruit and makes outstanding wines.

The grapes are picked by hand and sorted first in the vineyard and then in the cellar on a vibrating sorting table by at least 3 people for a good result. Respect for the terroir involves respect of the grapes resulting therefrom.

The very exact scheme of traditional fermentation observes the customs of the local appellations of origin: destemming, temperature-controlled, cap-punching, fermentation time and a host of other parameters are adapted, adjusted and reviewed constantly, so as to best to meet nature’s requirements and our own expectations.

Destemming involves separating the grain from the stem grapes. If the vintage allows it - as in 2012 on 3 cuvées of red Chateauneuf du Pape- we keep 25% stems minimum on the Grenache. Fulling, meanwhile, is to slightly crush the grains to release the juice to facilitate the onset of fermentation and help the first flavor extractions.

Maximizing the fruit and keeping most of the grapes' intrinsic aromas, is our priority. We do all we can to retain the freshness, to reflect the terroir, and to produce opulent, delicious wines.

The vinification lasts depending on the personality of the wines and the vintage’s characteristics from 2 to 5 weeks.

We believe in non-interventionist winemaking to maintain the wine's balance. This entails gentle extraction and long, careful aging. The red wines from different terroirs/lieu-dits are kept in separate containers: large oak foudres, large oak vats, enameled vats, small barrels, and demi-muids (for Syrah and Mourvèdre).

For the white Chateauneuf du Pape, the fermentation proceeds at a temperature between 16 and 20 degrees in the thermoregulated stainless steel tank. Then in mid-fermentation, we put 20% in new oak barrels. No malolactic fermentation for keeping freshness and acidity.