Domaine Clos de la Chapelle
Domaine Clos de la Chapelle is a new name of a very old domaine. Originally founded by Victor Boillot in 1865 with his purchase of Volnay 1er Cru Clos de la Chapelle (monopole), the domaine added Volnay 1er Cru En Carelle and Pommard 1er Cru Les Chanlins très vieilles vignes over the course of the next half century. The reputation of the Clos de la Chapelle monopole dates back to the 19th century, with Louis Pasteur himself writing regularly to Victor Boillot requesting bottles of this exceptional wine.
After nearly 150 years in the Boillot family, the domaine was purchased by Mark M. O’Connell, a life-long Burgundy lover, in cooperation with Domaine Champy, who farms the vineyards following organic and biodynamic practices. With the recent purchase of .25 hectares of Beaune 1er Cru Les Teurons, the Domaine now comprises about 1.5 hectares, all premier cru.
Together with Pierre Meurgey, the Managing Director, Winemaker Dimitri Bazas, and Vineyard Manager Francis Simon, the vision is to produce the best expression of terroir inherent in each tiny parcel. Total production for all vineyards combined is about 500 cases in an average year.
The 2010 vintage, the first commercial release under the new name, received uniformly strong reviews, including 94 points from John Gilman, for Volnay 1er Clos de la Chapelle. Sarah Marsh MW has written that the 2011’s are even better. With the recent publication of Volnay Clos de la Chapelle: The History of a Vineyard, the Domaine is quickly becoming established as one of the premier producers in Burgundy.
More information can be found at www.closchapelle.com, on Facebook and on Twitter (@closchapelle).