Tasted with David & Michelle Chapel in Régnié, 17 March 2022
Domaine Chapel
98 Chemin des Hortensias
La Haute Ronze
69430 Régnié-Durette
Tel: +33 6 64 94 91 46
www.domainechapel.fr
More reports with Domaine Chapel
On 2021:
“Yes we are happy – our Fleurie was a little crushed by the frost and mildew – 10 hl/ha. We farm the slopes and all is done by hand so it’s a mix of philosophy and logistics that we don’t treat that often – Chiroubles was a little better – less pressure from the mildew but it’s anyway not a parcel with big yields. We love the quality of the wines but thinking back we remember the intensity of the growing season. We chaptalized nothing in 2021 – all the reds are between 11-11.5°. Our 2021s are largely sold. We kept a little back for occasional sales but we are already planning some 2022 bottlings… We really needed the extra volume of the Smith-Chapel wines in this 2021 vintage, from the 3ha of our own vines we couldn’t have relied on that 2021 volume.”
The wines…
My second visit – and what a great set of wines – much to be on the lookout for!
2021 Smith-Chapel Aligoté
From Igé
A pretty width of ripe yellow citrus. Round but with vibrant middle and finishing flavours.
Syrah from Chiroubles – first vintage
A width of warmer fruit. Cool, mineral, ooh – deliciously intense – bravo rosé!
From Lantignié
That’s a very forward and aromatic nose – lovely perfume. Cool, beautifully shaped – incisive wine – delicious wine – a great BJV in 2021 – you will drink this quite quickly!
2021 Smith-Chapel Juliénas Vayolette
This all volcanic bluestone.
Complex, deeper fruit, faintly low-sulfur style – attractive. Broad, incisive again – a little saline. Impressive intensity deeply flavoured – that’s a super wine again – simply excellent.
Two parcels – Poulet on the Fleurie side the largest part – both quite high vines.
A lovely fresh width of red fruit. Gorgeous – incisive – vibrant – no, dynamic wine! Just too delicious – vin dangereux… Bravo!
2021 Fleurie Charbonnières
On 3 sides these vines are enclosed by the forest – ‘and we are fighting the forest as it tries to take over. It’s a quiet place – except for the flight-path of the fighter jets!’
Paler colour. Beautiful, airy, red freshness. Again so impressive; more of a fresh wall of flavour than a direct incisive wine to start – wide, very open, over the palate fine intensity finishing with an acidulated sizzle – so good.