Tasted in Chablis with Fabien Moreau, 08 January 2018.
Domaine Christian Moreau Père & Fils
26 avenue d’Oberwesel
89800 Chablis
Tel: +33 3 86 42 86 34
www.domainechristianmoreau.com
We were inaugurating the domaine’s new tasting room today. Lots of wood in here – new Zalto white tasting glasses too. All the cuvées are now bottled, the grand crus were done after Christmas – the first were done just after the harvest.
Fabien on 2017:
“In 2017 it was much easier to work, it almost tranquil compared to 2016. Of course there was the frost and a much colder winter than in 2016 – we protect 4.5 hectares of vines with candles and needed them for 8 days, so as we slowly ran out of candles they were pulled out of Vaillons and taken for Les Clos. We didn’t use them in Valmur as it’s practically never frosted but it was in 17 – still we managed to make 12 hl/ha though. In Les Clos we saved all the buds, but the flowering was still not very consistent given the cumulative effect of the cold. We have less grand cru in 2017 than in 2016 and the Petit Chablis was made from only 8 hl/ha. The left bank in Vaillons was fine, just one small part where we lost half, but the grand crus were all between 10-20 hl/ha. It’s the third consecutive low volume vintage in the grand crus due to either hail or frost, or both!”
Fabien on 2016:
2016 was, of-course, a really a difficult vintage though a little more wine was produced in the grand crus vs 2017, but less everywhere else due to frost and mildew. We had the fortune of a really fine second part of the summer which allowed the smaller amount of fruit that remained to come to ripeness in a very fine shape. Total acidities are lower than in 2015 but the pHs are actually lower!
The wines…
100% DIAM since 2009 for (villages) Chablis, use across the rest of the range is slowly growing. DIAM5 for the Chablis and DIAM10 for the Vaillons. The grand crus are a mix of DIAM and natural cork – but certified TCA free cork – i.e. the expensive kind!
Delicious wine at this domaine in 2016 – a fresher, more mineral 2009 style of wine.
2016 Chablis
Only bought grapes in this vintage. Only a little verjus was left in the 1.5 ha of domaine vines.
Ooh, that’s a very attractive blend of ripe but fresh fruit – perfectly inviting. Lots of richness to the flavour – delicious flavour and with a fine intensity of acidity that cuts through the richness. Brilliantly balanced and a proper Chablis flavour in the finish – rich but fabulously tasty wine!
2016 Chablis 1er Vaillons
There are 6 parcels of Vaillons at the domaine – 5 are assembled for this cuvée. Bottled just after the harvest in September.
A deeper nose, more considered and with a suggestion of rich fruit. There is still a little richness to the texture, but this is much more sleek, more direct, lovely energy, more classic character here. Intense, layered and delicious wine. Proper Chablis with a super finish.
Vines that are 80 years old – the ‘sixth’ parcel of Vaillons. There’s not much difference in the elevage between these two, except that some of the barrels are a little younger in this latter wine. The oldest vines planted by grandfather in 1933, a longer elevage and just a few newer barrels.
Fine above, the aroma is wider below and here with plenty of oak. But vibrant, crystalline flavour and energy in the mouth – wow. Lots of oak again – this will need 3 years or so for that to fade. Potentially great Vaillons!
2016 Chablis Vaudesir
100% barrel elevage, none new.
Ooh – the best nose so far – mineral, fresh, really wide and attractive. Super width in the mouth too – love the silky texture, growing in intensity – but never sharp. Layered finishing flavour – beautiful here. Super wine!
2016 Chablis Blanchots
Quite a high parcel. Just 1.5 barrels in 2015, 1 in 2016 a normal vintage would be 2.5. Not tasted, all was bottled in magnum.
A finer nose, more complex too – less overt and demonstrative versus the Vaudesir. Ooh, the best yet – direct, melting fresh a little ounce of richness to the texture but cut by the steeliness of the wine – this is really fine! Super mineral in the finish too!
2016 Chablis Le Clos
A mineral width, almost accented with reduction. Even more energy, more volume in the mouth too – direct and mineral is the character with a lot of energy. Today I’ve a little preference for the last wine – but this has a great finish and will be super!
2016 Chablis Le Clos des Hospices
A little more the accent of mineral reduction here. A touch more silk to the texture, weight of flavour, fresh and alive flavour – wide, only here with some barrel accents – mineral but like all the wines here without any sharp or jarring edges. Super wine – wait a couple of years for the more obvious accents of oak to fade. Super again!