Chapoutier Wines - A Rhone Master
Chapoutier is a long-established Rhone Valley wine producer with roots going back to 1808, where it was first established as 'Calvet et Compagnie'. In 1883 it was bought by Rodolphe Delepine, and Marius Chapoutier joined the venture in 1897, where it became known as 'Delepine et Chapoutier'. Delepine retired in 1922 and Chapoutier took the reigns, creating a new winery at the foot of the famous Hermitage hill.
Since then it has remained in family hands, with Michel Chapoutier at the helm who has begun their exploration into biodynamic winemaking. They have continued to venture into new territory with an Australian estate bought in 1998, one in Roussillon in 2000 and even the purchase of some vines in Portugal in 2007 and in Spain in 2016. Now strength upon strength reflect the Chapoutier brand, holding a hotel in the complex of Tain, cellar shops and new winemaking facilities across France.
The wines of Chapoutier
Chapoutier is a successful brand, and as a result there are an awful lot of wines and styles to choose from, encompassing the entire Rhone Valley and beyond. There are super premium, terroir-focused wines, and approachable entry level wines that display quintessential Rhone character.
Tradition - Chapoutier's main bread and butter range offers a wide variety of approachable, easy to drink wines that take you on an appellation journey. I recommend:
Fac&Spera - Latin for 'Do and Hope' might sound like a bit of a stab in the dark, but it is the motto for Maison Chapoutier and it has served them well. This is the philosophy behind their single vineyard selections from one particular plot. Terroir, terroir and terroir is hammered home, taking their biodynamic approach to its fullest extent. Some exceptional wines to explore here are:
- Chapoutier Ermitage Le Méal - a 100% Marsanne delight from possibly the most esteemed plot of the Hermitage. Intense, mineral, full-bodied, creamy, exotic and nutty.
- Chapoutier Ermitage L'Ermite - 100% Syrah, this is rich and dark with bramble, graphite and blackcurrant in abundance. It can be aged up to 75 years!
- Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon - Made from 100 year old vines, this Syrah will give great comparison to the L'Ermite, with a more meaty, cedary palate.
Prestige - A range of classic Grand Crus to give you a taste of these excellent Rhone Valley appellations from Cote Rotie to Chateauneuf du Pape. I recommend:
Excellence - These are remarkable wines from the Chapoutier estates are blends of exceptional parcels.
Alchemy - This explores their biodynamic range to the full, pushing the boundaries of the concept and creating a wine that is simply between man and vine.
Chapoutier's Latest Venture
Maxime, son of Michel Chapoutier, has recently created wines that are illegal in France and the EU. In a bit of a first, they are made from a blend of French and Australian wines! This is forbidden under both French and EU law in order to protect French terroir and the winemaking industry. The wine has been made in a partnership with The Wine Society and are called Hemispheres Red (Syrah/Shiraz) and Hemispheres White (Marsanne and Rousanne). These wines are shipped and assembled in the UK, where it is legal.
Whilst Chapoutier's focus has been on terroir since its inception, the younger generation feels a need for change, and accessbility. French wine appellations are complicated and often quite convulted, with a minutiae of rules, harvest weights, grape blend percentages and more. These wines are aiming to be simple on the surface and delicious in the bottle. There is a danger that this trend could fill the market with cheap plonk (there is certainly enough already) as it is theoretically cheaper and less burdened by rules and red tape, but with names such as Chapoutier and also Penfolds in Australia kicking this off, there is hope that the focus on quality will prevail.