Simon Chapelle
France
Simon's Wines
- France
- 1Â wine
- 1Â style
Former composer and 5th generation Burgundy winemaker working in harmony with nature to carry on his family's prestigious winemaking tradition
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Simon was born and raised at the Chapelle family estate, where his ancestors have been making top-quality Burgundy for over 100 years. When most kids his age were playing with toy cars and action figures, he was already helping his mum and dad do odd jobs around the winery. It seemed only natural he would follow in their footsteps when he grew up… although he took a significant detour to get there.
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A passionate musician, Simon left the family winery to pursue a career as a composer. Out in the world, he met so many people who were blown away by his Burgundy upbringing, it made him realise just how special ‘home’ really was. After 10 years in the music industry, he made ‘the biggest decision of my life’ and bowed out to return to his roots in Burgundy, carrying on the Chapelle family’s prestigious winemaking tradition.
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After finally working his first proper harvest in 2015, Simon’s got into the rhythm of making truly top-notch Burgundy that lives up to the family name. He aims to work in harmony with nature and farms all his vineyards organically - to celebrate the incredible terroir of his home in the most natural way possible.
Vineyard Location
Simon Chapelle's Story
Simon's Story
As I had the chance to be born and raised in a winemaking family, I started really early to play with grapes and wine... I started helping in the winery when I was 8 or 9 years old I believe… But my first real vintage as an assistant winemaker was the 2015 vintage.
In 2016 I vinified in Chile (working with vats of 20,000 hectoliters... for a Burgundian, it’s unthinkable) and in Oregon, then I settled in Santenay permanently at the end of 2017.
I realised winemaking was my passion really late, when I was travelling and met people… everybody was amazed by burgundy. Me, not at all. Then I started to think, did I miss something there? Did I not understand things around me?
I changed my life for wine, and the family estate, and it's I think the biggest decision I had to take in my life.
My life before was a life as a music composer. I think that all my music studies and my 10 years spent in the music industry have inspired and still inspire my style and my philosophy of life and work.
The style of the estate is to carry our terroirs. That is to say, we try to be as neutral as possible in our winemaking actions, in order to value each terroir at its fair value.
My dream is a viticulture in balance with nature, which emits as much as it absorbs, carbon neutral and prosperous in the long term... we are still far from it, but we are working hard for it.
We are a small team of 10 people, but everyone is essential. A vine manager manages the vine team (5 people) and a full-time winemaker assistant helps me at the domaine to prepare the vintages and also the orders. Candice, our office manager, is essential concerning communications with our clients. My dad and Mum still help a bit, but it is a lot. Without all these people, it is impossible to accomplish our work.
You get up early and you’re back home late, but in the middle you did a thousand different things… that’s a common day in Burgundy.
I chose to work with Naked Wines because the way of working seems different from the classic way.
If you appreciate our wine, know that we are infinitely grateful. Wine is a product of sharing and conviviality, above all other things.
