Tasted in La Chapelle-Vaupelteigne with Grégory and Delphine Viennois, 12 March 2018.

Maison de la Chapelle
Delphine et Grégory Viennois
89800 La Chapelle-Vaupelteigne
www.vins-maisondelachapelle.fr

It seems that the pair here are already more successful exporting their wine than selling in France ‘because it’s always the same families buying from the same families‘ with their biggest markets in Germany, Quebec, Holland – but they are now doing quite well in Paris and – tada! – Chablis, where they are now the house red in my favourite restaurant, Au Fils du Zinc…

Grégory on 2016 and 2017:
2016 brought very low yields, so we have just one Irancy cuvée. In 2017 we have produced more – there’s still not much, but it’s such a good vintage we will make each of the separate cuvées. Perhaps there is less concentration in the 2017s but there is such a fine balance. Overall we produced between 17 and 20 hectolitres per hectare in 2016. Whereas in 2017 we produced between 30 and 40 hl/ha.

The wines…

Since 2015 we have done all the aging in 3-4 year old oak barrels – before that there was also 50% cement for the elevage. Today there’s no filtration, and no additives. The wine was racked from the original barrels before spending three months in stainless-steel before the bottling – despite without filtration there is a turbidity of less than 10. The 2015 crus are sold-out at the domaine, though there’s still a little Irancy. The 2016 won’t be bottled until the end of April.

I simply loved the 2014s here, the 2015s are almost too much, too good, but the singly 2016 is excellent!

2015 Irancy
A blend of blocks – 5 of them. An average 80% destemmed. Millefeuille layering of the destemmed and then not destemmed fruit in the tanks – this drains very well.
A lovely depth of aroma – fresh cherries to bite into. Round, supple, deliciously fresh – like the nose. Holding very well. Simply delicious wine.

2015 Irancy Bâtard
Here with a north-west exposure and for this, roughly 15° slope – well-drained, not a lot of clay. Never ‘strong’ grapes but it’s nice to show two opposite vineyards – this faces the Beaumonts.
The nose has a more profound depth, almost textured and faintly spiced. Supple, a little more layered concentration – much wider. Lovely.

2015 Irancy Les Beaumonts
South-facing and steep – 45° slope. Darker berries.
Also a profound nose, textured width again, almost a suggestion of stewed fruits – almost ‘blue flowers’ – growing larger in the glass.
Volume and freshness – realy lots of action in the mouth – super energetic and fresh but never acidic. Excellent!