Paul Espitalié

The Climb

At Simonnet-Febvre in Chablis, France, the work has been shaped by Paul Espitalié in the dual capacity of director and winemaker. The emphasis is on control without bluntness: reading each parcel on its own terms, then keeping the house’s wines aligned to a single standard of precision. The added responsibility of director-general of Maison Simonnet-Febvre arrived. With that, the job widened from cellar decisions to the running of the house, but the underlying method stayed the same: continuity, restraint, and attention to how each part sits within the whole.

Career - Director and winemaker, Simonnet-Febvre (2018–present) - Director-general, Maison Simonnet-Febvre (2019–present)

In Their Words “We're very happy with 2022 – 57 hl/ha – no VCI. There's lots of fruit and roundness just here and there there are places where the acidity is a bit low – it's heterogeneous!” “The idea, starting from simple winemaking, is to preserve the purity, diversity, and complementarity of Chablis terroirs.”

Recognition

His own language is specific to the trade: it measures a vintage by yield, VCI, fruit, roundness, acidity, and heterogeneity rather than by abstraction. The second statement names the governing idea more explicitly. Starting from simple winemaking, the aim is to preserve the purity, diversity, and complementarity of Chablis terroirs. That puts the emphasis on fidelity rather than intervention, and on making the different sites work together without flattening what makes each one distinct.

FAQ What is Paul Espitalié known for? He is known for directing winemaking at Simonnet-Febvre and serving as director-general of Maison Simonnet-Febvre. What are Paul Espitalié's most notable roles? His listed roles are director and winemaker and director-general.