Maison
Chapoutier 18, av. De Paul
Durand
26600 Tain L'Hermitage
Ph. 04 75 08 28 65
Fax. 04 75 08 81 70
Owned by brothers
Michael and Marc, Chapoutier was established in 1808, and is one
of the larger producers of wine along with Guigal and Jaboulet.
Great lengths have gone to keep the land fully organic. Maison
M. Chapoutier has chosen to adopt biodynamic viticulture practices.
Growing on some of the steepest hills, in the richest area of
the valley, the Chapoutiers pay homage to the rich heritage provided
by their forefathers, steeped in knowledge of the soil and organic
farming methods.
The office was
in a city setting, removed from the steep vineyards. Clarisse
Merle hosted us as we tasted some of their finest selections.
Tasting first the 1997 les meysonniers croze hermitage - a citrus
flavored wine using only the marsonne grape, even though they
are allowed to use two types of grapes. This is because this is
what the grandfather planted. The 1997 Condrieu tastes of full
flavors of peaches, although the nose is distinctly apricot, followed
by a slightly bitter finish. The 1997 Saint Joseph "Deschants"
was elegant, with citrus flavors, but less acidic. Clarisse smiled
as she watched us out of the corner of her eye, trying to see
if we could handle some more. She brought out the 1997 "Chante
Alouette" Hermitage , one of Chapoutiers most famous white
wines. It had a nice smooth taste, living up to its reputation.
Emphasizing a peachy flavor with subtle hints of lemon, the wine
was characteristic of the granite soil that the grape grows in.
We then went on
to taste a completely contrasting wine, the 1995 Hermitage blanc.
Another distinctive wine from old vines, this wine tasted of a
honey and toffee flavor, with hints of caramel and butterscotch.
This wine was held aproximately 18 months before release and there
are only 3000 bottles in existence. Rich and deep in flavor with
a beautiful golden color, this wine was in a series of bottles
that had braille labels, a personal touch of the Chapoutiers.
The 1994 hermitage represented the best of their red wines, and
was referred to as their baby.
Le
Chaudron
Le
Chaudron 7 rue Saint Antoine
Rue Piedonne
07300 Tournon
Phone: 04 75 08 17 90
Fax: 04 75 08 06 61
Cepe
Mushrooms
We dined that night at Le Chaudron with owners
Dominique and Marc Grillon. Dinner was simple and hearty, and
was beautifully presented. Featured here are sauteed cepe mushrooms,
a specialty of the area, and one of our important discoveries
of this trip. Simply seasoned, the mushrooms are translucent when
sauteed and have the elastic texture of a shellfish, such as an
abalone. A signature of this restaurant, we warmed immediately
to the pigeon, quail and beef dishes to be presented in the simple,
brothy sauces. You can practically taste these dishes just by
looking at them.
Enologist Jacques Grange of Delas Freres, met
us at the restaurant for dinner, bringing with him a dozen of
his favorite wines.
Hearty Stews
Delas
Frere
Delas Freres
(L to R) Jaques Grange
of Delas Freres, Ron Holden, and Judie Vacchina, Guiliane
Dominici,
Ellen Walsh
Founded in 1835,
Delas Freres is situated in the heart of the Northern Rhone.
"Just a few days in the vats it is possible to tell the difference."
The meals you see on these pages were enhanced by these wines:
1997 ST. Joseph - a deep ruby red, has a delicate aromas of blackcurrant
and spices. Lots of tannin which guarantees good storage. Marked
by delicate aromas of blackcurrant and spices, this cuvee develops
a soft and velvety body and structure with a large reserve of
tannin, which guarantees good storage potential. Its dark ruby
color is characteristic of Saint-Joseph, and its granite soils.
Condrieu- This vine, nick named "la Galopine" only produces
from 10 - 30 hectoliters per hectar. The grapes for the Condrieu
"Viognier" from the house of Delas are produced by old
vines on the Verin site. It is straw colored with green highlights,
and its strong nose shows off aromas of great diversity : violet,
apricot, peach, honey, dried fruit. It is a strong wine, but sweet
on the palate, and the fruity finish of the Condrieu reveals musky
flavors. This wine does not require a long storage - it should
be at its best at around 3 - 5 years. It produces about 6,000
- 8,000 cases a year. The Crozes- Hermitage- a prestigious Cuvee,
"Les Launes" is a dark, garnet-red color. The fruity
nose is marked by intense aromas of blackcurrants, plums, and
violets. This wine is ample and round in the mouth, and presents
a strong tannic structure that assures good storing potential.
The 1996 St. Joseph/Delas(Les Chailleys)- a clover honey flavor,
gold peachy apricot flavors, this wine was soft and fruity and
stood out with the hearty, brothy meals we were enjoying.
