Tasted with Alexandre Milcent in ‘Chichée,’ 22 January 2024.
Domaine Milcent
Ferme de Pommard
89800 Chichée
Tel: +33 3 86 42 41 49
www.chablis-milcent.com
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Alexandre had just taken delivery of a nice big jar – it had water in it when I took my picture (right) but it was soon going to have 2023 in it !!
Alexandre on 2023:
“I was happy at the end – once all was in – because we had quantity and it looks like we have quality too – I found it a complicated vintage though – complicated for working the soil due the extra rain in some periods, it was necessary to work a lot of weekends because of that!”
Alexandre on 2022:
“We had less volume but a decent volume. We had more dryness and despite that, I think the quality was good. In the cuverie all went without a problem, the malos were done by the end of December – I like the perfumes. I think the warm year has allowed the wines to ‘show themselves’ from very early on.”
The wines…
A super result in 2022 – their 2022 villages Chablis in benchmark and the rest are also worth your time – a label to look out for!
All natural cork – ‘different quality for the 1er crus.’ The tasting glass was a little too small – the aromas very shy because of that:
2022 Petit Chablis
Below Forêts & Butteaux – 2ha – there was another 2ha for 2022 and they eventually will top out at 10-12 hectares.
The nose is a little shy to start – it’s a very (too) small tasting glass. In the mouth this is lovely though – with volume fine but not excessive energy and a very pretty finishing flavour – simply delicious, classy Petit Chablis.
Already 3-4 hectares next to their Petit Chablis, then a similarly sized parcel just under Montmains. A third parcel between Vaillons and Montmains and the last under Les Lys – totalling about 13 hectares
Also with a small floral perfume – width too – this is a good invitation. More direct and incisive – that’s so juicy and direct it could almost be a 2021! Bravo, this is just a top villages – more floral style than ultra-mineral but top!
2022 Chablis 1er Vaillons
A potential of over 4 ha here – Roncières and Epinottes – more of the former.
Despite the glass, here is plenty of aromatic width – energetic, with lots of yellow citrus. That’s another wine of proper Chablis freshness and in this case more airy citrus – all yellow. Deep and more stony finishing, clearly longer – just an excellent wine and properly Chablis.
2022 Chablis 1er Beauroy
In real Beauroy – ‘a small parcel for this one.’ 30-40 yo vines here.
A hint of herb and more obvious depth of mineral aroma. Broad, juicy, stony wine. A bit more strict than the Vaillons with much extra salinity. I’d wait 2 years for this wile drinking any of the previous wines. This is still a super wine.
2022 Chablis 1er Vaucoupins
A relatively flat part of this cru – ‘we are happy with that!’ – 0.33 ha of vines. The first right bank wine – Chichée of course. Vines now 10 years old – ‘It’s starting to show some quality now.’
Deep, clean, attractively mineral and laced with citrus energy. Very direct for a 22 but that’s how I like my Chablis – intense finishing too. I’d still be waiting another 2 years for more ‘ease.’ But this finishes clean and I think it will be a very good one.
2022 Chablis 1er Fourchaume
In the area of Vaupulent. Only the second vintage for these young vines – ‘Of course, 21 was a hard start!’
More breadth of yellow fruit – there’s depth here too but not pushing towards honied. Larger scale and a bit more concentration too. There’s plenty of energy and a growing intensity here – but less acid-led than the Vaucoupins – supple in the finish, long finishing – more herbed but this is an great wine considering the age of the vines – overall excellent Chablis.