Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru

Chapelle-Chambertin lies at the foot of the slope of Gevrey-Chambertin, just below the Clos de Bèze, from which only the Route des Grands Crus separates it; to the south it borders Griotte-Chambertin, and farther down the Premiers Crus begin. The appellation, recognized by the decree of July 31, 1937, brings together two lieux-dits, En la Chapelle and Les Gémeaux, for just over 5.5 hectares of Pinot Noir.

The name recalls a chapel that the monks of the abbey of Bèze, then owners of these vines and of the neighboring clos, had built in 1155. Dedicated to Notre-Dame de Bèze, it was demolished around 1830, and today only a few stones remain. The climat's fame dates back to the eighteenth century: in 1774 Abbé Courtépée cited it among the renowned climats, and in 1931 a ruling of the Dijon court set its boundaries, adding the name Chambertin to its own.

The vines rest on the edge of a slight shelf of hard Bajocian limestone, covered by a few dozen centimeters of debris, clays, and red silts: thin, well-drained soils facing the sunrise. According to the appellation rules, the result is a deeply colored red with elegant, velvety tannins supported by lively freshness, aromas of raspberry, currant, blackcurrant, rose, and violet, and long staying power in bottle. When available, the bottles appear further down.