The Clos Cazals is less imposing (3.7ha of Chardonnay vines enclosed at Oger en Grand Cru) and less media-friendly than many of its colleagues, but it is just as remarkable. Until the death of Claude Cazals in 1996, this walled Chardonnay was used to blend the house's various cuvées. Taking over Domaine DelpHine Cazals' daughter decided to make a new wine from it, starting with the 1995 vintage.
It comprises 3 distinct parcels, one of old vines planted in 1957, a more recent one dating from 2001 and finally a last one which has a small chapel planted in 1989. La Chapelle du Clos has been made from this chapel since 2014. It differs from its big sister in that it is younger and offers a less complex, more airy vision of Clos Cazals.
If we had to sum up the 2016 vintage it would be: frost, hail, rain and disease. Without a very fine September, the harvest would have been catastrophic. It remains a year with very heterogeneous quality; schematically we can say that the Pinot Meunier of Vallée de la Marne and the Pinot Noir of Montagne de Reims fared rather well, wines more on power than finesse. As for the Chardonnay, it was harvested late, after the reds (an exceptional occurrence), and its level of ripeness was not always optimal. At Clos Cazals, the strong minerality of the Oger terroir and the unique production of a clos have enabled us to produce a harvest of very high quality.
To preserve purity and freshness, most of the vinification is done in stainless steel tanks, but the 10% spent in oak barrels brings complexity and underlines the roundness of the Oger terroir. Aging for 6 years on laths before disgorging and dosage at 6g/L complete this cuvée.
La robe, pale gold with golden highlights, is crystalline. The nose is very airy with notes of white flowers, orange blossom and yellow raspberries, then turns to more pastry notes. The palate is silky and ample, carried by a fine, continuous effervescence, and greedy aromas of white fruit and hints of citrus. The finish is mineral and slightly saline. La Chapelle du Clos 2016 is a lively, intense cuvée that's the perfect accompaniment to a Moroccan tajine with chicken, carrots, olives and preserved lemon ... and for those with a sweet tooth, a tarte tatin!
