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.
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Roussillon | 2 | 88 (WA) | HK$10,658.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (88)The estate's bargain-priced entry-level red, the 2016 Les Vignes de Bila Haut is a smooth, streamlined blend of 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 10% Carignan, aged exclusively in concrete vats. Medium to full-bodied, it boasts cool herbal aromas of garrigue alongside ripe cherries, then it caps those off with a fine-textured, silky finish. Drink it in its first few years. |
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Victoria | 2 | 94 (RP) | HK$2,799.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate - Robert Parker (94)Deep garnet with a touch of purple, the 2009 Cluster M45 Shiraz has notes of fragrant earth and forest floor over youthful black fruits and tar. Full-bodied and built like a brick house with firm chewy tannins and a nice acid backbone, it has a wonderfully long, earthy finish. James Suckling (2009) 94 pts Peat, smoke and bonfire with a plump mid-palate pushing the envelope, with some stemmy complexity keeping the tone drinkable. Most powerful wine of the tasting. Drink now or hold. |
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Rhone | 1 | 94 (VN) | HK$4,999.00 | |||||
Vinous (94)Bright ruby. Powerful aromas of raspberry liqueur, cherry pie, incense and succulent flowers, along with a smoky mineral element that builds in the glass. Vibrant red and dark berry liqueur and candied licorice flavors stain the palate and display superb clarity and spicy lift. Silky tannins frame the wine’s sweet fruit on an impressively long, precise finish that leaves candied lavender and cherry notes behind. |
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Rhone | 1 | 100 (WA) | HK$15,000.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (100)Marked by sensationally deep notes of crushed stone, cassis and blueberry, the 2019 Ermitage l'Ermite is a tremendous effort and a worthy rival to the wines produced in the past four vintages. Full-bodied, it's rich and restrained, expansive yet structured—just a complete wine from mouthwatering aromas to velvety mouthfeel and long, stony finish. While delicious now, I'd expect it to close up shortly, yet still be going strong two decades from now. Wow! |
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Rhone | 1 | 100 (WA) | HK$15,000.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (100)Marked by sensationally deep notes of crushed stone, cassis and blueberry, the 2019 Ermitage l'Ermite is a tremendous effort and a worthy rival to the wines produced in the past four vintages. Full-bodied, it's rich and restrained, expansive yet structured—just a complete wine from mouthwatering aromas to velvety mouthfeel and long, stony finish. While delicious now, I'd expect it to close up shortly, yet still be going strong two decades from now. Wow! |
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Rhone | 1 | 100 (WA) | HK$25,390.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (100)As in 2016, my favorite of the white parcel selections this year is the 2017 Ermitage l'Ermite Blanc (231 cases produced), as it perfectly balances richness and power with refinement and structure. Toasted brioche and citrus marmalade, honey and truffle notes deliver sheer full-bodied, mouth-filling decadence, supported by austere notes of crushed granite, zesty grapefruit rind and cooling brine. Huge and intense yet refreshing, it's the essence of granite-grown Marsanne. |
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Rhone | 1 | 100 (WA) | HK$3,442.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (100)Easily the finest vintage of this cuvee to date, the 2013 Ermitage le Meal Blanc doesn’t give an inch to the more heralded Cuvee de L’Orée or l’Ermite. Pure perfection in a glass, with awesome caramelized citrus, pineapple, crushed rock, toasted bread and buttered peach, it’s full-bodied, massive and concentrated on the palate, with incredible purity, richness and length. As with the other top whites here, it needs a year or two in the cellar and will have 2-3 decades of longevity. |
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Rhone | 1 | 100 (WA) | HK$19,384.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (100)Even better and a prodigious effort that hits all my sweet spots, the 2011 Ermitage Le Pavillon comes from one of the top terroirs on Hermitage hill, the granite soils of the Les Bessards lieu-dit. Spectacularly perfumed, with raspberry, blackberry, licorice, toasted spices and assorted floral nuances, this full-bodied effort has massive depth and richness, no hard edges and masses of finely polished tannin that emerge on and frame the finish. It will be approachable at an earlier age than either the 2009 or 2010, yet should nevertheless have 2-3 decades of ultimate longevity. |
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Rhone | 4 | 100 (WA) | HK$18,405.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (100)Aged entirely in barriques (25% new), the 2016 Ermitage le Pavillon shows only a hint of warm pencil shavings on the nose, beautifully setting up notes of fresh blackcurrants. Full-bodied, concentrated and plush across the mid-palate, it turns rich and velvety on the nearly endless finish, marked by savory notes of beef, licorice and espresso. If you wish to catch a glimpse of this wine's greatness, it would be no crime to open a bottle upon release, as I suspect it will close down for a number of years soon afterward. |
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