In 2018, something happened that may never happen again.
After a series of short vintages, and some devastatingly reduced yields, 2018 brought a relatively abundant harvest. This allowed legendary Beaujolais winemaker Yvon Métras to sell a small portion of his grapes from Charbonnières to Domaine Chapel.
At Métras, Charbonnières is a component of the regular Fleurie bottling. For Domaine Chapel, this 40-65 year old organically farmed vineyard yields an utterly gorgeous bottle of Fleurie, and a monument to this young domaine.
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Domaine Chapel is one of the most exciting newcomers to Beaujolais. Once you're familiar with the story of the domaine, it's unlikely that this will be a surprise.
Chapel released its first wine in 2016 from Juliénas with the help of Mathieu and Camille Lapierre. The husband and wife team, David Chapel and Michele Smith-Chapel, met at Lapierre in 2013. David Chapel worked as a sommelier and is the son of Alain Chapel, who was the chef of a famous 3-star restaurant just outside of Lyon. Michele Smith-Chapel was the wine director of Brooklyn Fare, one of New York's greatest restaurants.
The wines were an immediate sensation. They hit a purity and textural allure that was impossible to ignore. The wines delivered everything you could ask of Beaujolais.
The Charbonnières VV serves as an exemplar of what Chapel has been able to achieve in so little time. Tied together by a spine of dark mineral and vibrant acidity, the 2018 Charbonnières VV possesses a striking silken quality with floral notes, dark fruits, and crystal clear layers of spice, earth and subtle game notes.
We've been buying Chapel's Beaujolais since day one. Not much of the Charbonnières VV was made, and it's impossible to predict if we'll ever see it again. For me, this is something to jump on.
To order, email offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Ian McFadden
Director, Fine & Rare Wine
Crush Wine & Spirits
