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 | |||||
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Rhone | 1 | 100 (DC) |
Inc. VAT
£888.83 |
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Decanter (100)This immediately exhibits the spellbinding, rich complexity that characterises this Hermitage cuvée. A really special, luxurious aromatic display that includes mango and raw cream. It’s full-bodied, with all the puppy fat that you might expect from de l'Orée. The oak is well integrated, contributing silk and spice notes, adding to the complexity. This is sublime. So long and fresh, just a perfect expression of white Hermitage. It’s rich, but somehow without heaviness. Just absolutely gorgeous. |
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Rhone | 1 | 94 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£4,398.04 |
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Vinous (94)Brilliant yellow. Vibrant, mineral-accented aromas of pear, Meyer lemon and jasmine; hints of smoky lees, iodine and fennel emerge with aeration. Sappy, deeply concentrated orchard and pit fruit, melon and brioche flavors are sharpened by an incisive mineral nuance. Finishes sappy, minerally and extremely long, with echoes of citrus pith and dusty minerals adding cut and focus. |
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Rhone | 1 | 99 (DC) |
Inc. VAT
£1,085.44 |
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Decanter (99)Aromatically a different register to the 2014 de l'Orée tasted directly beforehand. This is less richly fruited, with a more herbal, almost vegetal note, like tomato stalk. A little closed on the nose. Full-bodied, and grand. Good acidity that feels firm and gently steely. Great amplitude, a sensation that stays with you into the length. A forceful white Hermitage, that still has great freshness, energy and (relatively speaking for a white Hermitage) precise acidity. So long. A surging tsunami of a wine. |
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|
Rhone | 4 | 96.0 |
Inc. VAT
£1,296.04 |
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|
Rhone | 1 | 91-93 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£339.60 |
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Vinous (91-93)Brilliant yellow. Intensely perfumed aromas of poached pear, orange, candied fig and jasmine take on a hint of dusty minerality. Smooth, concentrated and expansive on the palate, offering intense, mineral-tinged orchard and pit fruit flavors and a refreshing touch of bitter quinine. Finishes very long and supple, with impressive clarity and building spiciness. |
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|
Rhone | 1 | 18 (JR) |
Inc. VAT
£1,258.84 |
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Jancis Robinson (18)Cask sample. Rich soils and expression. Solid, rich and hugely friendly. Exuberant. But denser than the Greffieux. |
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
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|
Rhone | 1 | 100 (DC) |
In Bond
£730.00 |
|||||
Decanter (100)This immediately exhibits the spellbinding, rich complexity that characterises this Hermitage cuvée. A really special, luxurious aromatic display that includes mango and raw cream. It’s full-bodied, with all the puppy fat that you might expect from de l'Orée. The oak is well integrated, contributing silk and spice notes, adding to the complexity. This is sublime. So long and fresh, just a perfect expression of white Hermitage. It’s rich, but somehow without heaviness. Just absolutely gorgeous. |
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|
Rhone | 1 | 94 (VN) |
In Bond
£3,649.00 |
|||||
Vinous (94)Brilliant yellow. Vibrant, mineral-accented aromas of pear, Meyer lemon and jasmine; hints of smoky lees, iodine and fennel emerge with aeration. Sappy, deeply concentrated orchard and pit fruit, melon and brioche flavors are sharpened by an incisive mineral nuance. Finishes sappy, minerally and extremely long, with echoes of citrus pith and dusty minerals adding cut and focus. |
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|
Rhone | 1 | 99 (DC) |
In Bond
£888.50 |
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Decanter (99)Aromatically a different register to the 2014 de l'Orée tasted directly beforehand. This is less richly fruited, with a more herbal, almost vegetal note, like tomato stalk. A little closed on the nose. Full-bodied, and grand. Good acidity that feels firm and gently steely. Great amplitude, a sensation that stays with you into the length. A forceful white Hermitage, that still has great freshness, energy and (relatively speaking for a white Hermitage) precise acidity. So long. A surging tsunami of a wine. |
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|
Rhone | 4 | 96.0 |
In Bond
£1,064.00 |
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|
Rhone | 1 | 91-93 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£339.60 |
|||||
Vinous (91-93)Brilliant yellow. Intensely perfumed aromas of poached pear, orange, candied fig and jasmine take on a hint of dusty minerality. Smooth, concentrated and expansive on the palate, offering intense, mineral-tinged orchard and pit fruit flavors and a refreshing touch of bitter quinine. Finishes very long and supple, with impressive clarity and building spiciness. |
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|
Rhone | 1 | 18 (JR) |
In Bond
£1,033.00 |
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Jancis Robinson (18)Cask sample. Rich soils and expression. Solid, rich and hugely friendly. Exuberant. But denser than the Greffieux. |