Château Capitoul dates back to Roman times and was already well-known to the Romans and to Julius Caesar himself. In the 14th century, canons from Narbonne cathedral planted the first vines here. The area was recognised and promoted to La Clape appellation status in 2015, thereby joining the most prestigious, internationally renowned French appellations.
The La Clape hill range has a dry, harsh climate. Sunshine and wind form a generous couple with the exposed rocks either bathed in their warmth or buffeted by their force. La Clape is one of France’s sunniest spots, with up to 3,000 hours of sunshine a year. This is no accident – in the sky above, thirteen different winds cross paths. The Tramontane, Cers, Ponant, Spanish wind, Lebech and Gregaou, to name a few, take it in turns to drive away the clouds that may otherwise form a shroud over the beautiful peninsula. Occasionally, a southern storm rises and outsmarts La Clape’s windy allies. And when it does, the spectacle is as magnificent as it is rare.
Here, the soil series alternate: the land is home to a mantle of flat stones with sharp edges; red earth with oxidised iron; grey or yellow marl; and red or green sandstone for instance. La Clape offers a merry-go-round of soil types uniquely suited to the needs of each grape variety. The stones toughen up the vines and allow them to fully express their potential.
