Provence

Château Revelette is nestled in the heart of Provence, sheltered by the Montagne Sainte Victoire and tucked away amidst thousands of hectares of wild, unspoilt woodlands. 

In the 1970s, the former owners of this 18th-century estate, surrounded by 40 hectares of vines and located 30 kilometres north from Aix en Provence, sold the vast majority of the vineyards, while the remnant of grapes were sold in bulk.

Peter Fisher hails from Baden in Germany. From a young age, he was fascinated by agriculture and in the late 1970s he moved to California to work in a ranch. He soon became aware of his passion for viticulture and he began studying oenology and viticulture at the famous University of California - Davis. After graduating, he returned to France at the age of 25, and he worked for a lab in Brignoles, near Aix-en-Provence, where he broadened his knowledge about the Provençal terroirs. He also worked alongside the famed oenologist Jean-Luc Colombo of the eponymous estate in Cornas, who undeniably influenced his winemaking style.

In 1985, Peter Fisher’s father, a German industrialist (whose father invented Uhu glue) purchased the Château Revelette and the remaining twelve-hectare vineyard, which Peter rented from him. Until the end of the 1980s, he actively planted an additional twelve hectares of vines surrounded by forest. 

From 1990, Peter was clear about what he wanted to achieve. In the vineyards, organic farming was implemented, along with biodynamic practices. Following harvests and during the spring, horses pull ploughs through the vineyards in order to promote life in the soil. At Château Revelette, all chemicals are eschewed, opting instead for sheep manure, composted fertilisers and plant-based extracts.

Biodiversity has well preserved the property, which today consists of 30 hectares of vines on hillsides and gentle slopes at an altitude nearing 400 meters, making it one of the highest sites in Côteaux d’Aix-en-Provence. Sheltered by the Montagne Sainte Victoire, the estate, on a demanding terroir of clay-limestone soil, is divided into 17 distinct plots and planted with nine different grape varieties.

The continental climate, with its rigorous winters and dry summers, suits the farming of the nine grape varieties: Syrah, Grenache Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, Chardonnay, Ugni Blanc, Rolle, Sauvignon Blanc, and Roussanne.

The harvest is carried out manually in 20kg boxes. In the cellar, patience and respect are key. In the cellar, abutting the old bastide and its park ‘à la Française’, the vinifications are traditional, in concrete vats, using a low dose of sulphur. Each gesture is carefully considered and carried out in order to respect the particularities of the vintage. 

The vigneron behind Château Revelette wines is not seeking perfection, he only wants ‘life in my wines and wine in my life.’ In the glass, you get harmony, elegance, and persistence. These gastronomic wines are refined with strength, depth and precision.

Profile © Françoise and Seán Gilley

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