Chateau Galoupet Rosé Cru Classé

The first rosé Cru Classé de Provence from Moët Hennessy's Château Galoupet delivers on taste as well as on sustainability credentials

The Château Galoupet Rosé Cru Classé is presented in a sturdy, amber-hued bottle. It belies the beauty found within: a pale pink, crisp yet delicate premium expression of Provence that is bound to beguile.

But there’s a purpose to such presentation. Scan the QR code printed on the brown glass and you will find your way to a page that shows where each stage of the journey from the Galoupet grape to the contents of your glass takes place. You’ll find markers where the vineyards are located on the French Riviera within the Côtes de Provence, where the production of the oak barrels in which the wine ages takes place, and even the place where those distinctive glass bottles are made—each one 70 percent recycled glass and weighing in at 499g, 271g lighter that the average rosé bottle. You’ll also be able to locate where the cork stoppers were finished and the wax to cover them was produced. Lastly, back at the Galoupet estate, there’s a recycling marker signifying the end of the journey, with a note that urges drinkers, wherever they are in the world, to also recycle responsibly.

The takeaway is that the production of the wine and its packaging is considered and kept as close to source as possible. And this all plays into Chateau Galoupet’s commitment to sustainability.

Tatler Asia
Chateau Galoupet Rosé Cru Classé
Above Château Galoupet Rosé Cru Classé and the Château Galoupet Nomade
Tatler Asia
Chateau Galoupet Nomade

A fairly recent addition to the Moët Hennessy stable, Château Galoupet nevertheless dates to the 18th century and consists of 77 hectares of protected woodland and 69 hectares of vineyards. The wine estate has been a Cru Classé since 1955—one of only 18 estates to be listed under this classification. In 2019, it was acquired by the wine and spirits division of LVMH, however, it is only now that the estate has released its first wines under the new ownership, having committed to stopping production for three years to focus on soil regeneration. The result is the Château Galoupet Rosé Cru Classé 2021, one of just two wines released so far, and the only one that’s available in Hong Kong.

Strawberry and peach. Citrus fruit and florals. A hint of sea salt. A dash of cedar. Vegetal notes. Enviable delicacy with a lingering, mineral finish. The wine is comprised predominantly of grenache, syrah, and local grape tibouren, which is said to add a bit of attitude to the resulting wine. This profile proves a versatile partner to a wide range of food, with the elegance and freshness that go well with seafood and lighter dishes, yet the complexity to stand up to bolder pairings.

An enticing tasting portrait isn’t the only thing that the Château Galoupet Rosé Cru Classe has going for it. Sustainability is a priority. Packaging, as mentioned, is paramount, and this is not to be sniffed at—packaging alone is responsible for 40 percent of wine industry emissions. And this concern prevails across the winery. Take the estate’s second wine, Nomade, a more easy-drinking rosé with notes of wild berries and pink grapefruit and an attractive minerality. This wine is packaged in a bottle made from 100 percent Prevented Ocean Plastic (POP), which is recycled PET collected from coastal areas at risk of plastic pollution. The bottles are flat—they even fit through a letterbox—to reduce carbon emissions during transportation by optimising packing space, and weigh just 63g.

Tatler Asia
Chateau Galoupet vineyards
Above Chateau Galoupet vineyards

Château Galoupet's eco-consciousness doesn’t stop at packaging. When it comes to wine production, the winery is on track to be certified organic in 2023, eschewing the use of chemicals in production, while biodynamic certification, which involves farming in harmony with nature where the focus is on promotion of biodiversity and creating a complete ecosystem in which to minimise human intervention, is the goal and already a work in progress.

The Château Galoupet vineyards and woodland are a sanctuary for local flora and fauna. A number of indigenous species have been discovered on site and attention is being placed on their regeneration. Additionally, 200 beehives have been integrated into the estate, which will also be home to one of only 12 queen bee fertilisation stations in the world to produce the queens that are essential for bee survival. The progressive estate has also dedicated 3.5 hectares to research and development to explore climate and drought resistant grape varietals and plans to work collaboratively to share findings and develop solutions more widely.

In 1984, Chateau Galoupet’s wines were said to “make one feel nature is beautiful and life is good”. Moët Hennessy is doing its part to ensure this remains true.

Topics