2015 Fixin Clos du Chapitre

The 2015 Fixin 1er Cru Clos du Chapitre has a sense of airiness on the nose - lifted red plum and morello cherry scents, a hint of cassis in the background. It builds nicely in the glass. The palate is sweet and a little chewy on the entry, moderate weight with good acidity and crisp tart red cherries towards the tensile finish. It should offer several years of pleasure, though I feel it does not quite put enough distance between itself and the village cru at the moment.

(the active calcaire soil here produces small berries, with a yield of just 30 hectoliters per hectare in 2015): Deep red with ruby tones. Aromas of medicinal black cherry and licorice show good mineral lift. A step up in sweetness and concentration from the village Fixin, with juicy black fruit and spice flavors complicated by attractive salinity. This very promising wine finishes with good energy and length.

A ripe but exuberantly fresh nose combines notes of violet, plum, dark pinot fruit and pungent earth. There is fine richness to the relatively full-bodied flavors that possess a more refined mouth feel that carries over to the stony, detailed and lingering finish that is a bit less youthfully austere than usual. Worth a look. Dec 2016, www.burghound.com