M. Chapoutier : Chante-Alouette 2020

Characteristics and tasting advice for the Chante-Alouette 2020 cuvée by M. Chapoutier

Tasting

Color
Brilliant and luminous, the color sports a beautiful golden hue with subtle green reflections.

Nose
Rich and nuanced, the nose seduces with its delicious aromas of quince, walnut, and honey, enhanced by delicate touches of ginger, acacia, and linden.

Palate
From the first taste, the palate charms with its balance and finesse. Full-bodied and silky, it stretches out on a persistent finish, marked by tasty notes of almond.

Food and wine pairings

This Rhône Valley wine elegantly accompanies foie gras, lobster, fish and poultry in sauce. It also pairs wonderfully with goat cheeses or blue-veined cheeses, as well as subtly spiced dishes like curry.

The aromatic richness and elegance of a silky and balanced Rhône Valley white wine

The property

Established since 1808 in Tain-L’Hermitage, the M. Chapoutier House today embodies the elite of the greatest names in Rhône Valley wines.

Vineyard owner and merchant, Michel Chapoutier has managed over the vintages to lead this family business to the top. The wines of the Chapoutier House are recognized for their refinement and high quality by the finest connoisseurs beyond borders. A man of many hats, Michel Chapoutier holds the world record for 100/100 scores awarded by American critic Robert Parker. Mathilde, Michel Chapoutier's daughter, has taken over the torch of this iconic house, overseeing a vineyard of over 350 hectares across the most prestigious appellations of the northern and southern Rhône Valley.

The vineyard

This Chante-Alouette 2019 cuvée is a Hermitage wine from three different vineyards: "Le Méal" characterized by a soil of fluvio-glacial alluvium with many pebbles, "Les Murets" whose soil is clay-gravelly and "Chante-Alouette" which gave its name to the wine. Its high-altitude terroir, where the soils mix loess with very finely decomposed granites, gives the wine freshness, salinity, and acidity.

Vinification and aging

Manual harvest. Long pressing and light settling before fermentation. The lees stirring is done in the first 2 to 3 months, giving the wine texture. Aging is partly done in stainless steel tanks (30 to 40%), in demi-muids (60 to 70%) with 10% new wood and 90% wood from one to three wines.

Blend

Marsanne (100%).