Producer Martin Lapalus

FRANCE, RHONE

In the heart of the Rhône Valley, the project of Martin Lapalus was born, a young French winemaker who, in just a few years, has captured the attention of lovers of artisanal and natural wine. After two years of training in the wine industry through an apprenticeship, Martin decided to broaden his experience by working in several wineries across the Rhône Valley before traveling to New Zealand, where he further refined his approach to viticulture and winemaking. His professional journey then continued with a significant two-year experience at Domaine Marcel Deiss, one of the benchmark estates for terroir-driven and naturally made wines in Alsace. The turning point came in 2023, the year that marked the official launch of his own project. Thanks to an opportunity offered by his uncle to purchase Syrah grapes from Crozes-Hermitage, Martin was finally able to give concrete form to his vision of wine: authentic, convivial, and expressive bottles made without additives — or with as little intervention as possible — through spontaneous fermentations with indigenous yeasts and handcrafted winemaking carried out using simple, reclaimed equipment such as a traditional ratchet press and second-hand tools. Yet the Syrah from Crozes-Hermitage alone was not enough to satisfy his desire to experiment. Through a carefully built network of contacts, he found additional grape suppliers in southern Ardèche, sourcing Syrah, Grenache, Marsanne, and Roussanne — emblematic grape varieties of the Rhône Valley. The result is a range of artisanal wines defined by freshness, energy, and purity of fruit, crafted through a minimalist philosophy designed to preserve the true identity of both grape and terroir. Martin often describes his work as a commitment to “taking care of every single bunch of grapes.” The 2023 vintage therefore became his very first official release. Today, production stands at around 8,000 bottles per year — a deliberately limited scale that allows him to maintain a fully artisanal approach and direct control over every stage of production. Alongside his personal project, Martin also works as vineyard manager for an estate located between Saint-Péray and Cornas, continuing to deepen his understanding of the great terroirs of the Northern Rhône. Martin’s ultimate goal, however, is to oversee the entire process from vineyard to bottle through estate-owned vines. That ambition began to take shape in 2026 with the purchase of his first parcel: 1.13 hectares in the Saint-Joseph appellation, which he considers “one of the finest in the entire Rhône Valley.” A milestone that further confirms his commitment to building a winery rooted in terroir, sustainability, and the authentic spirit of French natural wine.