Romain took the reins from his parents Odette and Leon in 1986, marking the domaine’s third generation of stewardship under the Papilloud name. Aided by his wife, Gladys, and Vincent, their son, Romain cultivates four hectares of vines, with the majority located in Vétroz, supplemented with smaller holdings in the neighboring villages of Conthey and Ardon, all centered in the heart of the Valais. The steep slopes of the vineyards require intense manual labor throughout the growing season and through the harvest, which fits in nicely with the minimal-intervention approach to the entire production at the estate.
A wide range of wines are produced from these relatively modest vineyard holdings, which Romain categorizes into four headings: Tradition (most of the wines belong to this group), Grands Crus, Reserve and Saveurs Nobles. We currently offer a selection of Tradition and Grands Crus, as these typify the varietals and terroir of the region with the most fidelity.
Farming
Practicing Organic since 2018
Treatments
No herbicide since 2016, copper and sulfate only since 2018
Ploughing
Annual ploughing of vineyards on the plain to maintain soil health. Terraced vineyards are worked by hand.
Soils
Granitic alpine moraines and black schists
Vines
Planted at 10,000 vines/ha
Yields
Controlled by avoiding fertilization, extensive debudding, severe winter pruning, and green harvesting
Harvest
Entirely manual, usually in mid-September
PURCHASING
Entirely estate fruit
Fermentation
Since 2018, all wines ferment spontaneously in stainless-steel tanks, demi-muids, or barriques.
Extraction
A combination of punchdowns and pumpovers, depending on the nature of the vintage
Chaptalization
None
Pressing
Whole-cluster, direct pneumatic pressing for white wines, pneumatic pressing for red wines
PRESS WINE
- Press wine and free-run wine are, in most vintages, blended prior to élevage. Press wine is included in red wines to bring structure. Rosés are c. 75% free-run wine, 25% press wine.
Malolactic Fermentation
Spontaneous directly following alcoholic fermentation
Élevage
White wines spend 8-12 months in tank. Cornalin spends 6 months in neutral demi-muids. Merlot spends 6 months in barriques.
LEeS
Wines spend 3 months on their fine lees
FINING & FILTRATION
Wines are unfined and plate filtered.
SULFUR
Applied only after alcoholic fermentation, c. 35 mg/l free sulfur