Clos de la Chapelle des Bois – 2015

15.3.2017billn

Tasted in Fleurie with Fernand Verpoix, 10 February 2017.

Clos de la Chapelle des Bois
69820 Fleurie
Tel: +33 4 74 04 10 95

It was a little sad tasting with Fernand this year, his vines had been obliterated by the hail(s) in 2016 – and only a little wine has been bottled from 2015 too – he’s choosing to sell the majority to négociants – though he will still commercialise some…

Fernand on 2016:
Mine was possibly the only domaine in Fleurie that declared no volume of Fleurie at the harvest – that was the first time in the 45 vintages that I’ve experienced. The vines were really damaged, and not just once but twice. The second wave of hail came four weeks after the first and it was even worse than the first – both times on a Friday! Everything was on the ground, the vines were reduced to half-height in just a few minutes. The insurance covered less than one-third – and premiums are high. I’ve a parcel of vines in Morgon, fortunately they weren’t touched.

Fernand on 2015:
2015 is a small-ish volume, the year was always warm, warm, warm, and because of that the wines are perhaps hinting of grenache or syrah. I had maybe two-thirds of a full harvest, but really the volume was very acceptable. I’ve sold much of my 2015s in bulk – mainly to Dubeouf, but also Bichot and Drouhin. I’ve bottled some and I’ve another tank still here – I haven’t yet decided if I will bottle that myself.

The wines…

As last year. there is just one cuvée for this producer – the Morgon is sold in bulk – but what remains is great value wine.

2014 Fleurie
All from the Champagne lieu-dit
Wide, brightly fruited and very inviting. Big in the mouth, plenty of volume, a little tannin at the base, really a nice burst of flavour in the mid-palate that fades not so slowly. Tasty and with a very fine length too. Simply a very, very tasty wine. Yum!
2015 Fleurie
Darker colour, a tighter but really much deeper nose. The texture first, the weight second, both on a different level to the last wine – there is an extra richness, not just of fruit but also texture – it’s not really more delicious, both vintages are delicious, but there is more, more, more of everything here. Excellent! A fine finish.

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