the "chai"
Located between the historic cities of Aix-en-Provence and Marseille, the Château de la Roque Forcade is a wine estate where wine, authenticity, and nature come together in harmony. Our winery embodies the perfect blend of tradition and authenticity.
Book your tasting workshop at our Domain Peypinois, a unique location in the heart of Provence.
Guided tour of our traditional winery and tasting
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We invite you to discover our winery on guided tours, available from Monday to Saturday by prior arrangement (except for private tours, please contact us).
With our wine, we want to return to real values. From work in the vines to bottling and the hand-picking period, we are committed to biodynamic production, which guarantees the quality of our vintages. During our workshops, discover our entire production process, from vine to glass, and enjoy an exceptional wine tasting. These workshops are led by our specialist speakers (winemakers, experts, etc.).
The Role of the Cellar in Winemaking: An Essential Process to Discover
The cellar is the beating heart of a winery, a place where the magic of winemaking takes place to transform grapes into wine. Understanding the crucial role of the chai and the stages in the winemaking process allows us to fully appreciate the complexity and craftsmanship behind each bottle of wine.
What is a chai ?
A chai, or wine-making cellar, is a building where the various stages of transforming grapes into wine take place. It is a space specially designed to control the environmental conditions necessary for the fermentation and maturation of the wine. Temperature, humidity, and hygiene are rigorously controlled to guarantee the quality of the final product.
Stages of Vinification in the Cellar
Receiving and sorting the grapes: The harvested grapes are transported to the winery, where they are carefully sorted to remove damaged bunches and impurities. This manual or mechanical sorting is crucial to ensuring the quality of the wine.
Destemming and pressing: The grapes are destemmed to remove the stalks, then pressed to extract the juice. For red wines, prior maceration may be necessary to extract the tannins and pigments from the grape skins.
Fermentation: The must (grape juice) is transferred to stainless steel, concrete or wooden vats for fermentation. Natural or added yeasts transform the sugars in the juice into alcohol. The temperature and duration of fermentation are carefully controlled to develop the desired aromas and flavours.
Ageing: After fermentation, the young wine is often transferred to oak barrels for ageing. This stage can last from a few months to several years, depending on the type of wine. The wood of the barrel contributes to the aromatic complexity of the wine and its ageing.
Clarification and stabilisation: The wine is clarified to remove suspended particles using techniques such as racking, filtration, or fining. Stabilisation ensures that the wine remains clear and stable in the bottle.
Bottling: The final stage of the process takes place in a sterile area of the winery where the wine is bottled, labelled and prepared for marketing.
The importance of the cellar in wine quality
Each step in the winemaking process that takes place in the winery influences the quality and character of the wine. The decisions made by the winemaker, such as the type of fermenting agents used, the length of time taken to raise the fermentate and the fermentation temperatures, are crucial in developing the wine's aromas, flavours, and structure.
The winery is not just a place to work, but a place where art and science come together to create exceptional wines. At Château de la Roque Forcade, we take care of every detail in our cellar to offer wines that reflect our terroir and our passion for winemaking.
Find out more about our winemaking process and visit our cellar for an enriching and immersive experience.
our wine production
Since 1993, we have been growing emblematic grape varieties such as Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cinsault and Syrah. In 2018, we added Rolle, followed by Clairette, Viognier and Grenache in 2020, all from Domaine La Cavaliere's massal selection. Our red wines, including one aged in oak barrels, are remarkably round and complex. Discover our red wines LOU PITCHOUN, RENAISSANCE, LA PROMESSE, as well as our rosé wines LOU PITCHOUN, RENAISSANCE, RENAISSTRE, and our white wine LA PROMISE;e blanche LA PROMISE, with their fruity and mineral flavours, ideal for accompanying regional dishes and characterful cuisine.
