The southern end of Chassagne-Montrachet's mid-slope strip of premier cru vineyards approaching Santenay are comprised of a complex patchwork of small vineyard parcels which fall under four main premier cru appellations: seven are in Morgeot, totalling 45 acres; seven in Brussones, with 39 acres; six in Boudriotte, with 38 acres; and two in Abbaye de Morgeot, with 21 acres. Alternately, all of these may simply adopt the Morgeot appellation. The Clos de la Chapelle is a large vineyard of 11.32 acres in the cru of Abbaye de Morgeot solely owned by Le Domaine du Duc de Magenta, of which 6.62 acres are planted in Chardonnay vines. Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot "Clos de la Chapelle" is a full-bodied, vigorous and aromatic wine with a touch of earthiness which is an exceptionally pure expression of the premiers crus of this commune. The rich Chardonnay fruit and notes of toasty oak carry into the lengthy finish.
Louis Jadot, founded in 1859, is one of the most important négociants to consider when purchasing the wines of Burgundy. The firm produces an amazing number of cuvees each year, which range from generic Bourgogne as well as Beaujolais, right up to top of the class examples from a number of Grand Cru vineyards including Bonnes Mares, Clos de Bèze and Chapelle-Chambertin, to name just three..
The Chassagne-Montrachet Clos de la Chapelle displays fine mineralité on the nose with touch of chalk dust, lime zest and apple rind. Good lift and expression. The palate has good weight with a slight reductive nutty note on the entry that becomes more conspicuous towards the finish, lending this a very Meursault-like personality. But it has good intensity of fruit and fine persistency. Very fine. Tasted January 2011.
Pebbles and flint on the palate, rather a tart citrus fruit alongside. Bracing and breezy. (RH)
Issue July 31, 2012 - An elegant style, this white offers citrus blossom, lemon cake and green apple flavors accented by spice notes. Though light-weight, this persists in its intensity through the lingering finish. Best from 2013 through 2020. –BS
Jan/Feb '11 by Stephen Tanzer - High-pitched aromas of lemon, vineyard peach and flowers. Tactile and wild, with a very dense, extract-rich palate impression cut by penetrating lemony acidity. This boasts terrific flavor intensity and verve for 2009. The very long, saline finish saturates the palate with lemon and crushed stone. White Burgundy from red wine soil.
A similar if slightly more elegant and broader-based nose introduces rich, dense and overtly muscular flavors that possess an abundance of dry extract on the balanced finish that is supported by a very attractive sense of underlying tension. I quite like this as it's generous yet more refined than it usually is plus it should prove to be relatively long-lived in the context of the vintage.
