Maison M.Chapoutier
About Maison M.Chapoutier
Established in 1808, M. Chapoutier is one of the oldest producers in the Rhône Valley. But its current worldwide fame - and the quality of its wines today - can be credited to the arrival of Michel Chapoutier in 1990. His willingness to change established practices - plus his determination to reflect the full potential of individual terroirs - has cemented his reputation as one of the greatest winemakers in the world.
The seventh-generation bearing the Chapoutier name to craft wines within the Rhône, it is reasonable to say that Michel Chapoutier is one of the most important figures not only within his native region, but the whole of France given his impact on the world’s fine wine scene.
Travelling extensively throughout both the Old and New wine producing worlds in his youth, Michel returned to the Northern Rhône with both vigorous passion for his craft as well as extensive knowledge gathered from hundreds of traditional and revolutionary vignerons from around the globe. The most important, lasting lesson learnt was the importance of terroir and the expression of nature’s nuances – a principle clearly evident throughout the modern Chapoutier offerings.
Setting about purchasing shares in his family company until he possessed a managing control, the first act of this masterful figure at the helm of Chapoutier was a revolutionary conversion of the entire estate to biodynamic principles in order to respect and encourage the terroir. An unprecedented move considered to be extraordinarily risky at the time, today many of its peers are merely playing catch-up to this imperious producer at the very height of its powers.
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Roussillon | 36 | 95-97 (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£253.24 |
|||||
Jeb Dunnuck (95-97)The 2020 Côtes Du Roussillon Villages Latour De France Visitare Interiore Terrae is a slightly more Grenache-driven release since 2019, and I think it shows more elegance and purity because of it. All destemmed and aged in a mix of concrete tanks and once-used demi-muids, it offers a beautiful perfume of kirsch and black berry fruits intermixed with more subtle pepper, garrigue, and floral notes. Ripe, medium to full-bodied, and elegant on the palate, it’s going to have plenty of up-front appeal as well as 10-15 years of prime drinking. |
|||||||||
|
Rhone | 1 | - |
Inc. VAT
£485.86 |
|||||
|
Rhone | 1 | 98 (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£1,197.64 |
|||||
Jeb Dunnuck (98)Also all Marsanne from the eastern side of Hermitage, raised in 15% new demi-muids, the 2020 Ermitage De L’Orée is full-bodied and concentrated, yet stays tight and reserved on the palate. Giving up beautiful white currant, crushed stone, spice, honeysuckle, and charcoal aromas and flavors, it’s a serious, age-worthy Hermitage that needs to be forgotten for 3-4 years, and it will evolve for over two decades. |
|||||||||
|
Rhone | 1 | 98 (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£1,113.64 |
|||||
Jeb Dunnuck (98)Also all Marsanne from the eastern side of Hermitage, raised in 15% new demi-muids, the 2020 Ermitage De L’Orée is full-bodied and concentrated, yet stays tight and reserved on the palate. Giving up beautiful white currant, crushed stone, spice, honeysuckle, and charcoal aromas and flavors, it’s a serious, age-worthy Hermitage that needs to be forgotten for 3-4 years, and it will evolve for over two decades. |
|||||||||
|
Rhone | 1 | 100 (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£1,453.24 |
|||||
Jeb Dunnuck (100)In the same qualitative ballpark as the Pavillon, the 2020 Ermitage L'Ermite is even tighter and more chiseled. It too is perfectly proportioned and insanely pure, with notes of crème de cassis, burning embers, blueberries, camphor, charcoal, and crushed stone. While the soils here are less granitic than from the Bessards, this cuvée always seems to show even more minerality in every vintage I've tasted. Incredibly concentrated, full-bodied, and yet still flawlessly balanced and elegant, it needs to be hidden in the back of the cellar for 10-15 years and should have 50 years of overall longevity. |
|||||||||
|
Rhone | 1 | 95-97 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£1,313.09 |
|||||
Vinous (95-97)Full purple color. Deeply pitched kirsch, cassis, licorice, olive, cured meat and floral aromas are sharpened by suggestions of black pepper and smoky minerals. Broad and weighty in the mouth, offering intense bitter cherry, dark berry compote, fruitcake and espresso flavors and a sweet hint of candied violet. Chewy tannins add grip to an impressively long, smoky finish that leaves kirsch, licorice, espresso and floral notes behind. This one is built for the long haul. |
|||||||||
|
Rhone | 1 | 100 (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£1,315.24 |
|||||
Jeb Dunnuck (100)I was blown away by the 2020 Ermitage Le Méal Blanc, which is certainly the finest vintage of this cuvée I’ve tasted. From the pure south-facing Méal lieu-dit (which is the warmest terroir on Hermitage), it was vinified and aged 70% demi-muids (10% new) and 30% in stainless steel. Straight-up heavenly notes of white currants, powdered rock, celery seed, honeysuckle, and toasted almonds all define the bouquet, and it’s full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, with that rare mix of richness and freshness. Hermitage Blanc doesn’t get any better. I love this today, yet it will certainly benefit from a year or two of bottle age, drink well for 3-5 years, at which point, it’s probably best to wait until a solid 15 years after the vintage. |
|||||||||
|
Rhone | 1 | 100 (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£919.24 |
|||||
Jeb Dunnuck (100)I was blown away by the 2020 Ermitage Le Méal Blanc, which is certainly the finest vintage of this cuvée I’ve tasted. From the pure south-facing Méal lieu-dit (which is the warmest terroir on Hermitage), it was vinified and aged 70% demi-muids (10% new) and 30% in stainless steel. Straight-up heavenly notes of white currants, powdered rock, celery seed, honeysuckle, and toasted almonds all define the bouquet, and it’s full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, with that rare mix of richness and freshness. Hermitage Blanc doesn’t get any better. I love this today, yet it will certainly benefit from a year or two of bottle age, drink well for 3-5 years, at which point, it’s probably best to wait until a solid 15 years after the vintage. |
|||||||||
|
Rhone | 1 | 100 (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£1,327.24 |
|||||
Jeb Dunnuck (100)The 2020 Ermitage Le Pavillon is pure gold, and Hermitage doesn't get any better. Incredible aromatics of cassis, graphite, burning embers, and crushed stone all emerge from this beauty. Stunningly proportioned and incredibly pure, it's full-bodied, concentrated, and powerful, but as with all great vintages of this cuvée, it's going to demand bottle age. While Les Greffieux and Le Méal bring much more opulence, this is the powerhouse, long-distance candidate in the lineup. It's an incredible effort. Give bottles upwards of a decade in the cellar, and it should evolve effortlessly over the following 30-40 years. |
|||||||||
|
Rhone | 14 | - |
Inc. VAT
£528.29 |
|||||
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Roussillon | 36 | 95-97 (JD) |
In Bond
£195.00 |
|||||
Jeb Dunnuck (95-97)The 2020 Côtes Du Roussillon Villages Latour De France Visitare Interiore Terrae is a slightly more Grenache-driven release since 2019, and I think it shows more elegance and purity because of it. All destemmed and aged in a mix of concrete tanks and once-used demi-muids, it offers a beautiful perfume of kirsch and black berry fruits intermixed with more subtle pepper, garrigue, and floral notes. Ripe, medium to full-bodied, and elegant on the palate, it’s going to have plenty of up-front appeal as well as 10-15 years of prime drinking. |
|||||||||
|
Rhone | 1 | - |
In Bond
£385.00 |
|||||
|
Rhone | 1 | 98 (JD) |
In Bond
£982.00 |
|||||
Jeb Dunnuck (98)Also all Marsanne from the eastern side of Hermitage, raised in 15% new demi-muids, the 2020 Ermitage De L’Orée is full-bodied and concentrated, yet stays tight and reserved on the palate. Giving up beautiful white currant, crushed stone, spice, honeysuckle, and charcoal aromas and flavors, it’s a serious, age-worthy Hermitage that needs to be forgotten for 3-4 years, and it will evolve for over two decades. |
|||||||||
|
Rhone | 1 | 98 (JD) |
In Bond
£912.00 |
|||||
Jeb Dunnuck (98)Also all Marsanne from the eastern side of Hermitage, raised in 15% new demi-muids, the 2020 Ermitage De L’Orée is full-bodied and concentrated, yet stays tight and reserved on the palate. Giving up beautiful white currant, crushed stone, spice, honeysuckle, and charcoal aromas and flavors, it’s a serious, age-worthy Hermitage that needs to be forgotten for 3-4 years, and it will evolve for over two decades. |
|||||||||
|
Rhone | 1 | 100 (JD) |
In Bond
£1,195.00 |
|||||
Jeb Dunnuck (100)In the same qualitative ballpark as the Pavillon, the 2020 Ermitage L'Ermite is even tighter and more chiseled. It too is perfectly proportioned and insanely pure, with notes of crème de cassis, burning embers, blueberries, camphor, charcoal, and crushed stone. While the soils here are less granitic than from the Bessards, this cuvée always seems to show even more minerality in every vintage I've tasted. Incredibly concentrated, full-bodied, and yet still flawlessly balanced and elegant, it needs to be hidden in the back of the cellar for 10-15 years and should have 50 years of overall longevity. |
|||||||||
|
Rhone | 1 | 95-97 (VN) |
In Bond
£1,075.00 |
|||||
Vinous (95-97)Full purple color. Deeply pitched kirsch, cassis, licorice, olive, cured meat and floral aromas are sharpened by suggestions of black pepper and smoky minerals. Broad and weighty in the mouth, offering intense bitter cherry, dark berry compote, fruitcake and espresso flavors and a sweet hint of candied violet. Chewy tannins add grip to an impressively long, smoky finish that leaves kirsch, licorice, espresso and floral notes behind. This one is built for the long haul. |
|||||||||
|
Rhone | 1 | 100 (JD) |
In Bond
£1,080.00 |
|||||
Jeb Dunnuck (100)I was blown away by the 2020 Ermitage Le Méal Blanc, which is certainly the finest vintage of this cuvée I’ve tasted. From the pure south-facing Méal lieu-dit (which is the warmest terroir on Hermitage), it was vinified and aged 70% demi-muids (10% new) and 30% in stainless steel. Straight-up heavenly notes of white currants, powdered rock, celery seed, honeysuckle, and toasted almonds all define the bouquet, and it’s full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, with that rare mix of richness and freshness. Hermitage Blanc doesn’t get any better. I love this today, yet it will certainly benefit from a year or two of bottle age, drink well for 3-5 years, at which point, it’s probably best to wait until a solid 15 years after the vintage. |
|||||||||
|
Rhone | 1 | 100 (JD) |
In Bond
£750.00 |
|||||
Jeb Dunnuck (100)I was blown away by the 2020 Ermitage Le Méal Blanc, which is certainly the finest vintage of this cuvée I’ve tasted. From the pure south-facing Méal lieu-dit (which is the warmest terroir on Hermitage), it was vinified and aged 70% demi-muids (10% new) and 30% in stainless steel. Straight-up heavenly notes of white currants, powdered rock, celery seed, honeysuckle, and toasted almonds all define the bouquet, and it’s full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, with that rare mix of richness and freshness. Hermitage Blanc doesn’t get any better. I love this today, yet it will certainly benefit from a year or two of bottle age, drink well for 3-5 years, at which point, it’s probably best to wait until a solid 15 years after the vintage. |
|||||||||
|
Rhone | 1 | 100 (JD) |
In Bond
£1,090.00 |
|||||
Jeb Dunnuck (100)The 2020 Ermitage Le Pavillon is pure gold, and Hermitage doesn't get any better. Incredible aromatics of cassis, graphite, burning embers, and crushed stone all emerge from this beauty. Stunningly proportioned and incredibly pure, it's full-bodied, concentrated, and powerful, but as with all great vintages of this cuvée, it's going to demand bottle age. While Les Greffieux and Le Méal bring much more opulence, this is the powerhouse, long-distance candidate in the lineup. It's an incredible effort. Give bottles upwards of a decade in the cellar, and it should evolve effortlessly over the following 30-40 years. |
|||||||||
|
Rhone | 14 | - |
In Bond
£421.00 |
|||||