Tasted in Châtillon d’Azergues with Claire Chasselay, 19 February 2020.
Claire et Fabien Chasselay
123/127 Chemin de la Roche
69380 Châtillon d’Azergues
Tel: +33 4 78 47 93 73
www.domaine-chasselay.com
More reports for Domaine Claire & Fabien Chasselay
Claire on 2019:
“Nice – we had some frost in April – though none in 2020 – because of that we lost about 30% but still had a good harvest – very clean and easy to vinify – much easier than in 2018. It’s the first year that we rented a refrigerated container – and I don’t know how we managed without it before – that was super. We did the same in 2020 too so we can really spend more time with the raw materials and give more consideration to whether and how much we destem for instance. 2019 was easier in the cuverie than 2018 – we had higher alcohols in 2018 so that’s the main reason, but maybe cooled truck helped too – it was 37°C while we were harvesting our Moulin à Vent! Organic is working well, so we’re now planning our next steps to biodynamic farming. We now have 17 hectares.”
The wines…
Always a visit that brings me pleasure – a couple of wines here that are worth a special search…
2019 Fleurie 111
There are three terroirs here, 4 parcels
That’s a deep nose, a little round, nicely pure – an attractive invitation. Silky, direct, opening over the palate. A super balance of fruit and finishing minerality. I love the texture too. A simply excellent Fleurie, perhaps better…
In Chénas, the first vintage, this on the granite part. Originally in conventional management have started with organic in first year – it’s quite steep here.
That’s a deep nose, cushioned, elegant, lower sulfur style – very attractive. More direct, more structural – for keeping a little – but opening wide in mouth-watering fashion. That’s a really super finishing, slightly floral too. Oh, that could be great but not yet!
2019 Beaujolais La Platière
On clay and limestone.
Redder fruit – plenty of aromatic volume and slowly becoming floral too. Fresh, indeed vibrantly flavoured – the acidity is more prominent here. More salinity and intensity of flavour in the finish – here the oak is quite visible. I’d keep this for a year or two to lessen this effect. Very good, practically excellent wine.
2019 Morgon Corcelette
Nearly 450m but south-facing. Near the Col du Truges, the only grapes bought by the domaine but the vigneron works organically.
Darker colour. A narrower but deep nose – that’s a darker fruit with a fine combination of clarity and energy. Wide, mineral, nicely incisive – more cherry-fruited style of flavour. Very wide, long finish with a stronger secondary flavour here that’s not to my taste. A great start, less great finishing.
Blue-stone, on the north side of the hill, but sometimes with more degrees of ripeness than the south – the vines here never suffer and seem to ripen forever here as there are some sources of water despite the height! Elevage like the last – except the demi-muids replaced by barrels – and for longer time.
Deep colour. Attractive dark-fruit aroma. Wide, intense, mouth-watering flavour. I love the depth of flavour here, long, so mouth-watering and completely delicious in the finish. Bravo, that’s a super wine. Love…
And blanc:
2019 Beaujolais Blanc Terroir de Châtillon
Already sold out, none to taste…
2019 Beaujolais Eparcieux Blanc
Two parcels one high one low, but it was the lower that was lost to frost. Wax topped bottle.
A good nose, vibrantly golden fruited with a little oak in support. Mouth-filling, a cushioned texture, oaked, long – butter and brioche. I usually prefer their other white, but this is more than excellent in its style, no rigour just fine flavour and long-lasting too.