Domaine du Galet des Papes

The Mayard family, now in its sixth generation of winemaking, put down their roots in Châteauneuf-du-Pape during the Napoleonic era. Domaine du Galet des Papes was founded with just a few hectares in 1880 and is now in the more-than-capable hands of Blandine Mayard. 

Now situated across 14 hectares, the domaine saw gradual expansion with the efforts of Blandine's father and grandfather. The cellar was built in 1929, and expanded in 2010. They farm without the use of insecticides & prefer to employ sexual confusion for pest management. They plow using tractors to manage weeds, aside from their old-vine plots, where organic treatments are applied when the rows are too close for the tractors to get through. Though they use organic treatments, they are choosing not to seek certification.

Of their 14 hectares, 12 are planted to Grenache, Mourvedre, and Syrah, with smatterings of Cinsault and Vaccarèse. 1 hectare is planted to Grenache Blanc, Clairette, and Roussanne, which all goes into their Blanc de Blancs. The remainder of their acreage is found in a few parcels in the Côtes du Rhône. Most of their Châteauneuf-du-Pape vines are planted on clay & limestone soils, with their oldest Grenache vines - on average 80 years old, and reserved for their Vielles Vignes cuvée - planted on sandier soils. Their Côtes du Rhône vines are also planted on sandy soil.

The Mayards practice spontaneous fermentation in concrete for all their wines with daily remontage. The reds are matured in oak (6-8 months for the Tradition, 8-12 months for the Vielles Vignes), and the whites rest in inox tanks before bottling. Total production nowadays is in the realm of 53k bottles - mostly Tradition and Vielles Vignes, with limited production of their Blanc de Blancs and Côtes du Rhône.