Tasted in Beaune with Mark O’Connell and Pierre Murgey, 14th November, 2014.
Domaine Clos de la Chapelle
3 rue de Grenier à Sel
21200 Beaune
Tel: +1 816 223 0257
www.closchapelle.com
This young but expanding domaine now has offices next-door to Champy in Beaune. The wines had previously been tended by Dimitri Bazas of Champy and the new cellar – attached to those of Champy – allows Dimitri to continue doing so. As Mark notes “We’re still using the technical resources of Champy for winemaking and elevage, but we now have place of our own that can handle up to 150 barrels (maybe one day!) but this allows us to reduce our own fixed costs by using Champy for this. In 2014 we planned for 50 barrels but have 38. in 203 we had 24 – in 2012 we had only 6.5!”
The wines…
Only the Beaune Reversées is currently in bottle. Potentially a very fine range here…
2013 Volnay 1er En Carelles
Destemmed.
Deep colour. Deep, dark and pretty fruit on the nose too. Wide and silky palate but with plenty of tannin below. This is very serious and betrays a growing floral flavour too. Very good…
2013 Volnay 1er Clos de la Chapelle
Here is plenty of reduction. Gas on a palate that shows lots of width and intensity – all the material for a great wine – but from easy to taste today.
2013 Volnay 1er Taillepieds
Also reduced. More mineral and flexible than the ‘Chapelle.’ A powerful wine but then a reductive flavour emerges too. Still, this finishes very long – an excellent finish!
I normally associate TVV with 100+ year-old vines – these are merely 90!
A deep pot of super-smooth fruit. Gassy but also lithe and concentrated – no fat here – just a fine base of tannin. Really super finish and potential here. Bravo!
2013 Pommard 1er Grands Epenots
The vines here are 25 years old.
Here the reduction is much fainter – the nose is still super-deep and slowly adds higher tones too. Lithe and mineral in the mouth, the acidity and tannin making life a little mouth-puckering today – but there’s gorgeously fine, lingering, dark fruit in the finish though.
Everything certified organic here.
Beautiful, ripe, fresh, dark fruit with a floral twist. Oh – shame – rather too fizzy to fully appreciate but there’s very fine tannin and a mouth-watering finish. This will be really super!
Also a deep and floral nose – really impressive. Wide, simply electric flavour – maybe more structured than the Rognets but here is another wine that will be really something!
2013 Beaune 1er Les Reversées Blanc
25 year-old vines sited near those of Bouchard Père’s Clos de la Mousse. Hoping tha biodynamics will help keep the tension in the wine.
Pear-drops on the nose. The palate is wide and fresh but with lots of weight.
From En Charlemagne, the vines just above those of Roumier.
A high-toned nose with a faint but pretty floral note. Very silky. Here is a wine full of dimension – it’s simply first class. Excellent!