Drouhin Vaudon – 2014

Update 2.3.2016(1.3.2016)billn

DSC09223Tasted in Chichée with Mélanie Sire and Remy, 28 January 2016.

Domaine Drouhin Vaudon
Moulin de Vaudon
Chemin du Moulin
89800 Chichée
Tel: +33 3 80 24 68 88
www.drouhin-vaudon.com

Mélanie on 2015:
“A particular year because we were touched by the dryness which really brought tiny berries and also the possibility of very concentrated wines – micro berries! At the last moment we had the rain which developed the volume of the berries but the payback was the hail which touched our Montmains and Chablis in one valley – maybe 10 hectares were touched – here we had to start harvesting earlier – the plan was the week after – basically we started the day after instead. But we had the chance that the grapes were in good condition – we lost about 20% in those parcels which were hit. But overall volume was similar to other recent years. The results look good in the cuverie.”

Mélanie on 2014:
“I don’t talk about it as a ‘classic vintage’ because the spring was very early indeed – almost all the seasons were mixed up – but in the end we had clean grapes. Really it was the last weeks that were almost miraculous with a cooling, drying breeze and much nicer weather than July and the first half of August. The wines have a really interesting balance. Relatively easy elevage as the grapes were so clean.”

The wines…

As always, great wines here – but today some of the grand crus prominently showed their oak.

2014 Chablis
Domaine – Represents 23 hectares a mix of horse and tractor work here in rotation so to allow treatments but not to compact the soil too much. (All the grand crus use a horse too, 1ers are mainly by tractor.)
Freshness, clarity too; a little lime and a vibrant, faintly reduced depth. A certain sweetness and really good silky texture, wide and bright, beautifully packaged – super little extra dimension of flavour in the finish – Excellent! Just a very fine wine, regardless of aoc level!
2014 Chablis 1er Cru
An assembly of small quantities and young vines from other 1ers plus some négoce purchases. but from people who work their soils and work in bio. Otherwise all facets of production are the same as that for domaine wines.
A super nose, not so wide but deep and vibrant – really lovely. Wide, wonderfully textured, complex, bright fireworks of flavour, a little salt-encrusted citrus to finish. It’s an excellent finish too – lovely wine – really!

2014 Chablis 1er Vaillons
Mostly from the lower levels of about 25 years old, 3-4 hectares.
Wide, bright, lime fruit – very mineral, almost in the direction of pyrazine, changing to a fine lemon note. Really intense – bordering on harsh but there’s an impression that it slowly melts over the palate becoming much more friendly and complex – adding floral and mandarin notes in the finish. Super wine.

2014 Chablis 1er Sécher
Almost 2 hectares. Higher on the hill, two parcels, the young about 20 the older more like 35. Caterpillars here that like to eat the buds at night – you need to use sulfur or collect them at night with torches!
Another nose that is wide and open, faintly vibrant with a yellow citrus in the background. More cushioned intensity, a fine texture, suggesting a little fat, faint salinity and beautiful direct flavour. The finish is a little floral, discreet but very long.

2014 Chablis 1er Montmains
Mainly Montmains with a small part of Forêts. Vines in the mid 20s year old. A little more than 2 hectares. Risky for frost here at the bottom of the hill as there’s not much air circulation.
Ooh – this is nice! Direct, with a high and low aromatic – less width. Here, less fat, but it’s wide and delivers it’s flavour in waves of interest. Really interesting, almost a combination of lime and kiwi fruit – really an individual!

2014 Chablis 1er Mont de Milieu
Always some of the earliest vines to grow and harvest.
Wide, complex, inviting nose – more limited depth but no limit on the interest. Round yet very complex – not a wine of direct intensity – rather indirect through many, many angles of complexity. Supple, more considered but really the easiest to taste today – not necessarily the best – but super finishing flavour; really fine fruit flavour. Excellent!

2014 Chablis Les Preuses
Relatively new in the range – was replanted almost 10 years ago. This is the third vintage as Preuses, before was mixed in other labels. Mainly elevaged in demi-muids up to 500 litres.
A rather oak-forward nose, sweet and soft with yellow citrus. Nicely textured, nicely layered delivery of flavour – sweetness and an impression minerality. A nice wine but with too much oak today – for my palate. The finish, however, holds a super agrume note…

2014 Chablis Bougros
Also a background of oak here but it’s rather more discreet. Fine in the mouth, more mineral, nicely complex, a certain creamy sweetness that’s from the oak, but really on a low level. Very fine…

2014 Chablis Vaudesir
Almost 2 hecatres of the 3 of grand cru that Joseph Drouhin own are here – with some old vines too yet still vigorous – about 40 years in the oldest parcel. Same person has done the vineyard work here for 30 years!
Beautiful high tones, floral, complex, hints of minerals – super! Very wide, yellow fruited, lovely complex composed delivery of flavour. Ripe, fresh fruit – only subtly oaked. Fine, layered finishing flavour. Yum!

2014 Chablis Les Clos
Old vines no question about quality but they struggle on quantity so a small parcel has been pulled out for replanting.
Wide, yellow fruited, discreetly oaked. Mouth-filling, mouth-watering, sweetly mineral and complex. Really hold its flavour super-well in the finish. Long and fine! Excellent!

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