Saint Dominique The Merlot of the Chapel
- 0.75L | 13.0%
Gratis verzending met PostNL vanaf €100,-
Gratis avondbezorging via Trunkrs vanaf €150,-
Saint Dominique The Merlot of the Chapel
Taste & Aging
Complexity
Beautifully layeredDrinking Window
Aromas
Food Pairing
Vintage Report
Saint Dominique Le Merlot de la Chapelle 2022 Vin de Pays de l’Hérault, France
Saint Dominique Le Merlot de la Chapelle 2022 is a Southern French red wine made from 100% Merlot from the Hérault. The wine comes from Aniane, near Montpellier, where La Chapelle is considered one of the oldest wine estates in the village. Behind the estate are D. Vialard and E. Hosteins, with Danielle Vialard as an oenologist with experience in the Médoc at Château Cissac. This gives this Merlot a beautiful combination of a Bordeaux background and ripe Southern French suppleness.
Vineyards and region
Le Merlot de la Chapelle comes from Aniane, a village in the Hérault with a strong wine history.
• Location / Origin: The vineyards are located in Aniane, in the south of France. This area is known for its warm location, garrigue, and wooded surroundings.
• Soil: The soil consists of Miocene terrain, with limestone, sandstone, and gravel up to about 10 m deep. This well-draining soil helps the vines root deeper and gives the wine structure.
• Vineyard: The Merlot comes from a 2-hectare vineyard. This limited scale suits the focused, single-varietal style of this Chapelle range.
• Village with character: Aniane gained fame when local wine producers successfully resisted Mondavi's clearing of over 100 hectares of forest land. This story underscores how strongly the village is connected to its own wine identity.
Grape composition
This red wine is made entirely from Merlot.
• 100% Merlot – Hérault: Merlot gives this wine its supple texture, round fruitiness, and approachable structure. In the warm Hérault, the grape takes on a riper, fuller style with red fruit, dark fruit, and soft tannins.
Vinification and aging
Vinification is focused on fruit purity, freshness, and a precise tannin structure.
• Harvest & Selection: The grapes are hand-harvested and selected. This ensures that only ripe and healthy fruit can be used for this 100% Merlot.
• Fermentation: The wine undergoes a long vinification with temperature control. This helps to keep the fruit intense and pure, while the tannins gain sufficient structure.
• Aging: The wine ages in stainless steel tanks. This keeps the focus on pure fruit, freshness, and the soft roundness of Merlot, without obvious oak influence.
• Production: Approximately 10,000 bottles of this wine are produced. This makes Le Merlot de la Chapelle a small, distinct cuvée within the range.
Tasting notes and serving suggestions
Le Merlot de la Chapelle has a deep, dark color and, after some aeration, opens with aromas of red fruit, cassis, plum, and a hint of vanilla. The taste starts fresh and gains more roundness in the mid-palate, with pure fruit and a precise tannin structure. The finish is smooth, long, and slightly peppery.
• Serving temperature: Serve this Merlot at 16–18 °C, so that the red fruit, supple structure, and tannins remain beautifully balanced.
• Dishes: Delicious with beef, veal, pasta with rich sauce, stews, and dishes with a mild meat sauce.
More information about La Chapelle
La Chapelle is one of the oldest wine estates in Aniane and, due to a lack of succession, came into the hands of Danielle Vialard. She previously proved her quality as an oenologist in the Médoc at Château Cissac and, together with E. Hosteins, is behind wines in which Bordeaux grapes are given a Southern French interpretation. Le Merlot de la Chapelle clearly shows this style: Merlot with ripe fruit, gentle power, and an approachable structure from the Hérault.
Product details
| Alcohol content | 13.0% |
|---|---|
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Size | 0.75L |
| Region | Languedoc-Roussillon |
| Producer | Saint Dominic |
| Varietal(s) | Merlot |
| Ideal serving temperature ? | 16° - 18°C |
| Storage at perfecte wijn | Air conditioned at 18°c |
