Tasted in Maligny with Clement Lamblin and Perrine Grulet, 12 January 2016.
Lamblin & Fils
Rue Marguerite de Bourgogne
89800 Maligny
Tel: +33 3 86 98 22 00
www.lamblin.com
Clement on the next vintages:
“2015 – a really good vintage, unfortunately a little hail in the GCs – maybe they might lack a little acidity but the quality of the grapes was good for both quality and quantity.
“2014 – also a good vintage but less than in 2015 – mainly because we had plenty of coulure.”
The wines…
All these wines were in bottle by December, the villages just before the harvest and the 1ers just after.
Like every year, these are good value wines from the richer end of the spectrum. The Lamblin ‘signature’ is once more evident in these 2014s.
2014 Chablis
About a dozen hectares mainly Maligny and Chapelle de Vaultepeigne.
A wide, slightly bright and green nose – a little lime and herb. Lovely texture some sweetness, layers for sure, just a little padding too – a soft and friendly impression. Easy but tasty drinking.
2014 Chablis Fleur d’Acacia
“Here we make sure the fermentation continues as cold as possible to try to preserve the varietal aromas.”
The nose is a little glossier, riper but fresh citrus. Again a fine and slightly cushioned texture. The fruit has a ripeness but largely avoids heaviness because of the good balancing acidity. The impression of a little petillance on the tongue.
2014 Chablis Vieilles-Vignes
A single parcel of 47-year-old vines, from Chaumes just above Maligny.
A little tighter – conversely a little more interesting. There is ripe fruit still, but on a discreet level. Fresher, more intense, a hint floral. I find this very good – great texture and a more mineral impression – easily my favourite of these three. Particularly in the finish where this is lovely.
2014 Chablis 1er Vaillons
A hint of fumé, a little salinity, a certain impression of minerality too. Bright and fresh personality with a fine layered mid-palate of good freshness. An extra minerality and faint sweetness in the finish – Good!
2014 Chablis 1er Fourchaume
From Fourchaume itself.
A hint of seashore – good – riper fruit below. Wide, some silk to the texture there’s a ripeness but tempered with much more minerality. A warm, almost round impression, rather than steely. Subtly long with a faint sweet edge.
A modest nose but with good high tones and the house-style ripeness of fruit below. Ooh – excellent line, texture and minerality. A discreet but finely presented wine with layers of mid-palate flavour – this is lovely. Like all the wines here have a certain opulence – almost vintage independent, but this is a wine to wallow in without regret!!!
2014 Chablis Les Clos
Really a much bigger nose, shades of oak below but a full round aromatic of freshness and width. Layered flavour – super – silken texture, width of flavour and still an impressive width in the finish too. The oak is barely perceptible in the mouth. Excellent. Very fine and tasty. The nose is much finer with a little air, even losing the majority of the oak notes, even a touch of florality is in the mix. Yum and super!