Tasted in Fleys with Lucie Thieblemont, 19 January 2024.

Domaine Charly Nicolle
17, rue des Près Giraud
89800 Fleys
Tel: +33 3 86 42 80 08
www.chablis-charlynicolle.com
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More reports with Domaine Charly Nicolle

Charly had an appointment with his certification!

Lucie on the 2023:
“We were really happy with the harvest – I don’t now if the wines will be as good as 22 – but they are currently supple and aromatic – there were some large volumes possible but we didn’t over-do it. We reduced the time of pressing a little and will be interested to see how that works out.”

Lucie on the 2022:
“2022 brought a less extraordinary volume but we are still happy with it – there was enough volume to bring back some calm after the lack of wine! Just about everything is bottled – for the Petit Chablis and Chablis we made an earlier first bottling as there was no wine – post 2021 – early for us, anyway – May. We normally bottle at the end of June for those. ”

The wines…

It’s always a pleasure to taste here – so many delicious wines. Their Chablis Per Aspera is worth a special search to find!

Everything now sealed with DIAM, since 2019 vintage – ‘And we remain very happy:’

2022 Bourgogne Tonnerre
From Molesmes. ‘We’re not far from Epineuil – but the soils is very different and much steeper – it’s obviously a white wine soil with some Kimmerigian – it’s the Côte de Butteau here.’ Young vines – planted 6 years – this the second year of production.
An inviting nose – not so wide but with clean, defined notes. Cool, silky – lovely texture and finishing with a proper salinity. Just a delicious wine. Super Bourgogne!

2022 Petit Chablis
From plateau above Fleys and Chichée. The only PC in Fleys, it’s surrounded by Chablis and was declassified from Chablis a few years ago – some red clay here.​
A more mineral – quasi-reductive depth of aroma. Broader with a little more visible structure. Fine and growing intensity. Super though there’s a faint austerity that would have me waiting 6-12 months to really attack the bottles – but it’s another super wine and I love the finish – Excellent wine.

2022 Chablis Ante MCMLXXX
The name is Charly’s 1980 birthdate, but the (parcel selection) vines are older than that vintage. Vines of 40-60-years-old – from Fleys, Beru and Chichée. Also a July bottling.
A nose of more volume and more concentration too – the fruit apparently riper. Hmm, this melts over the palate – also with a super texture but here with more evident generosity. That’s extra complex finish – a mix of agrume fruit here.

2022 Chablis 1er Les Fourneaux
Two parcels overlooking the village of Fleys – directly opposite the winery with yellow clay soil – steep, south-facing, and very warm in the summer. Vine ages between 20 and 50-years-old. Bottled just before the harvest.
A little extra width – the core of fruit aroma seems less concentrated. Panoramic in the mouth, melting, fluid, perhaps a hint soft but completely delicious – certainly less strict but a beautiful combination of flavour and texture – Super wine!

2022 Chablis 1er Fourneaux Vieilles-Vignes
Averaging 50 years ‘and a bit.’ 400-litre barrel elevage – but only for 20% of the wine.
Larger scale – more overtly mineral too. The structure is more in place and even has a little tannic accent to the texture. This for keeping while you drink the previous wine. That will be super but enjoy the previous to begin with! ‘We see the difference after about 2 years.’

2022 Chablis 1er Mont de Milieu
Also direct south-facing with less clay than Fourneaux but with more limestone. The domaine’s oldest vines are here, ‘but we don’t have a separate VV cuvée, as it’s all old vines here. Unfortunately, had to start replacing some of them – this wine is still all old vines.’
A calmer nose – broad in the base but not the higher tones. Hmm, such a relaxed wine over the palate but properly mineral – a soothing, calming wine but one with an extra burst of intensity in the finish – that really impresses. Excellent wine.

2022 Chablis Bougros
We like to start drinking these after 4 to 5 years – I don’t like to drink too old but it’s a shame to drink too youn, they are quite hard to understand at that age, I think.
A saline nose – of some width too. The base of these aromas a little discreet today. Of course, fuller – extra generosity to this flavour – almost richness – but here the mineral balance and the more discreet acidity work well together. That’s a super finish – large and complex – engrossing. I love this finish.

Lucie Thieblemont, Cremant
This is all pinot from Tonnerre
A direct nose, more citrus in style. In the mouth – plenty of acidity, but just so juicy – that’s a wine I might drink a little too fast – yes extra Brut – 4g/l. Finishing well too – long and clean. ‘I’d like to do zero dosage but that needs more time sur-lattes – but I’m working on it!‘