The vineyard holdings of the Domaine de la Chapelle des Bois extend across the Fleurie boundary into Chiroubles. Their parcel is dominated by granite and is planted to vines that are of an average age of fifty years. The cuvaison for the Chiroubles is normally a 10 to 12 day affair. The resulting wine has a vibrant expression of fresh red fruits; it is marked by delicate tannins; and, it is the most precocious and welcoming wine of this estate.
Located in the heart of the Fleurie cru, Domaine de la Chapelle des Bois comprises nine hectares of vines, primarily in Fleurie, but augmented by smaller holdings in Chiroubles and Morgon. In the vineyards, Chantal and Eric followed the principles of lutte raisonnée, treating only when absolutely necessary in order to rescue a crop, and their tried-and-true no-fuss cellar methods—spontaneous fermentation, traditional semi-carbonic maceration in cement vats, and aging in large 50-year-old wooden casks—produced Beaujolais of vivid fruit, terrific freshness, and structure enough to develop well in bottle.
