Growers / Switzerland / Valais / Romain & Vincent Papilloud (Cave du Vieux-Moulin)
Cave du Vieux Moulin vineyard

Romain & Vincent Papilloud (Cave du Vieux-Moulin)

Romain took the reins from his parents Odette and Leon in 1986, marking the domaine’s third generation of stewardship under the Papilloud name.


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.

Cave du Vieux Moulin headshot textured background of dirt

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

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

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