The Chapelles

Burgundy is located in the eastern part of France and is known as a region that produces high-quality wines. It is a famous wine-producing region that was loved by many royalty and aristocrats, including Louis XIV and Napoleon, and has many fans around the world.

In Burgundy, each small plot of vineyard contains different minerals and other ingredients. Because the strata of the vineyards are finely divided and have a very complex structure, Burgundy wine can be said to be a wine that makes the most of the individuality of the land (terroir).

The Beaune region in the south of Burgundy, where the Chapelle family's Domaine is located, is famous for producing high-quality, fragrant white wines such as Montrachet and Meursault.

Santenay, where the Domaine is located, is about 30 minutes by car from Autun, a city dotted with Roman ruins, and the center of Beaune, home to the historic Hospices de Beaune.

Organic history : Since 2004

The Chapelle family has been growing grapes in the area since acquiring vineyards in Santenay and Chassagne in 1893 .

The current head of the family, François' father Roger, took advantage of the period of rapid economic growth when he was young and worked hard to popularize AOC wines.

On the other hand, their generation promoted the use of chemical products and mechanization as national policy, and implemented productive agricultural policies, so there was a time when producers readily accepted and followed the advice of technicians. It is true that the mechanization of field work and the widespread use of herbicides and pesticides have freed farmers from the enormous amount of time spent on farm work.

However, in the early 1980s , Roger realized something.

Unknown pests were breeding as much as they did in his youth, before he used pesticides, and weeds appeared that did not die even when he sprayed herbicides, perhaps because they had developed resistance. He also noticed a decrease in the acidity of the wine he produced.

It was as if the grapes were gradually losing the strength that they were supposed to possess.

François, who had always wanted to be involved in winemaking, gained experience in Champagne and the Côte-du-Rhône before returning to Santenay in 1988 and beginning his involvement with the Domaine while attending the CFPPA (a wine school) in Beaune.

During the classes he took at CFPPA on grape growing practices, the drawbacks of excessive pesticide use, and soil, he became aware of the relationship between the properties of soil and the wine produced from it.

François believes that the AOC designation is an expression of the soil in which it is produced, and the climatic conditions near the surface that are linked to that soil. Without human intervention, the grapes will absorb the elements of their environment and produce fruit that has the original flavor of the land.

For François, the ideal wine is one that fully reflects the flavor of the terroir, and that also means "a wine that requires as little human intervention as possible."

To that end, François believes it is important to pay close attention to ensure that their actions and work processes in winemaking respect the various "VIE (activities of life)."

The first thing we must respect is the " activity of the soil ."
In order to make the most of the natural power of the soil, we do not use herbicides or chemical fertilizers, which can cause soil pollution.

And then there's " The Life of Grapes ."
We value the process of photosynthesis, which is the source of grapes' natural flavor, color, and aroma, and do not use any pesticides or growth promoters that penetrate into the grapes.

Finally, " Human Activities ."
Through agriculture, we aim to prevent various diseases that humans may suffer from due to the use of pesticides, and to protect our natural, healthy lifestyles.

Since respecting these practices and switching to organic farming in 2004 , François says he has felt a stronger sense of harmony with the beautiful nature that spreads across Burgundy.

・White grapes : Chardonnay, Aligote ・Black grapes : Pinot Noir

The company owns vineyards in nine appellations, including Santenay, Santenay Premier Cru, Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru, Aloxe-Corton Premier Cru, Ladoix, Pommard and Meursault.

We respect the ecological balance of each plot by maintaining and developing microbial life. In the fields, we ensure that plants grow in a balanced way and that they have a self-defense system against pests and diseases.

Pruning is mainly done using the cordon de royal method, but the Guyot method is also used.
・All harvesting is done by hand.

·red wine
The grapes are destemmed and then placed in tanks and left at low temperature for 4-5 days without fermentation.
Fermentation begins on the fifth day and the mixture is stirred for about 15 days (pissage).
Once fermentation is complete after 15 days, the juice that comes out naturally and the liquid from the remaining lees are put into the same tank. At this point the red wine is complete, and it is then aged in tanks or barrels for 10-12 months.

・White wine
The grapes are pressed immediately and the juice is left in tanks for a day to allow the sediment to settle.
The clear liquid is placed in a barrel and fermented in the barrel. Alcoholic fermentation begins around February, and malolactic fermentation creates a mellow flavor.
The white wines are bottled after 10 to 13 months.

If we use only new barrels, the aroma will be unique to the barrel, so we use a mixture of old barrels (up to about 6 years old) and new barrels. During barrel aging, the wine is tasted about once every 10 days by my family and the person in charge of the cellar, and we record our impressions of the wine at that time.

• [Challenge Millesime Bio]
  Santenay Red Premier Cru Beaurepaire 2009
• [Challenge Millesime Bio]
  Chassagne-Montrachet Red Premier Cru 2010/2011

The Challenge Millesime Bio is an award given to outstanding wines at Millesime Bio, the world's largest organic wine exhibition, held annually in the south of France.

*The actual vintage in stock may differ from that at the time of award.

When we make wine, we place great importance on fully understanding the characteristics of the land and expressing the characteristics of each plot of land and each year in our wine.

For over 20 years, he has devoted all his free time to wine and vineyards, and is extremely particular about the winemaking process.

-Differences between wines of the past and present-

Wine is a product that reflects culture, so it is natural that what the 19th century bourgeoisie enjoyed is different from what we have today. I still make wine in the same way my grandfather did, but I use more functional equipment and tools than he did in his time, and I don't waste time.

Nowadays, there are various tools that make our lives easier, but when using them, we need to have a firm idea, almost a philosophy, and think carefully about it. If you don't think about what you want to do with the grapes and wine you're working with, or what kind of product you want to make, and just rely on tools to make it easier, you may end up with a wine that's easy to drink, but it's an "empty shell" wine that lacks the soul of the maker!

To all Japanese organic wine lovers . We feel the same joy every day as we make organic wine. We hope you can experience the same joy. Burgundy is a very attractive region, both in terms of its geology and the people who live there. We would be happy to convey to everyone in Japan the depth of the wines that are produced there. We hope to be able to talk to you in person sometime soon!