Tasted in Beines with Nathalie Geoffroy, 10 January 2018.
Domaine Alain Geoffroy
4, rue de l’Equerre
89800 Beines
Tel: +33 3 86 42 43 76
www.chablis-geoffroy.com
Nathalie on 2017:
“In 2017 we lost about 25% vs a normal year. Our frost protection was not so effective due to winds, but we managed to make 38 hl/ha. More was lost in 2016 – it was more like one-third that was lost in that year and it was principally the frost not so much from hail – but mildew took it’s toll too. In 2017 we would have liked more juice – we pressed but there was no more…”
Nathalie on 2016:
“We are about 30% down in volume in 2016. Beines was almost untouched by hail, but we had all the other issues of the year such as frost and mildew, but because August and September were dry the grapes ended up in good shape. In one hectare we forgot to treat and we thought ‘that’s strange it hasn’t worked like all the other places’ – that was before we realized the human error – the mildew harvested everything there of-course!”
The wines…
The bottling is all finished here.
Like every year – simply an excellent selection of delicious wines – quite classic in presentation in 2016. These are never the most concentrated wines – but you’re paying a modest price. LOvely.
2016 Petit Chablis
From Beines and Lignorelles but less from the latter in 2016. ‘These parcels are becoming older and more expressive – adding depth too.’
Quite some depth of aroma – a hint of reduction I think – adding saline references with time. Ooh, this is rather rich for PC! Full in the mouth, layered – lots of minerals – you get a lot of wine for your coin here! Very tasty, though I’d like a lift more acidity, yet the finish is very nice.
201& Chablis
The classic cuvee that sees only tank elevage. Usually 30 hectares worth of vines here. Beines, Lignorelles and Chapelle le Vaulpeteigne
More open, vibrant and mineral nose – lovely in the mouth too – vibrant, full of mouth-watering flavour – the fruit is ripe but the structure and acidity are pure Chablis – this is really excellent!
Oak elevage in this cuvee, not new barrels but 100% barrel. Average age of this assembly of parcels is 50+ – mainly from Cornas in Beines
Ooh – bright, vibrant deep and concentrated – very mineral – in a good way. Lithe, bright, pure, you would be hard pressed to spot the oak here – this is minerally wide and indeed really super wine – really super! (for emphasis!) I love this – maybe there is some oak influence on the nose but I can’t see it on the palate – a lovely almost haunting finish.
2016 Chablis 1er Beauroy
The historic cuvée of the family – almost 9.5 hectares averaging close to 40 year-old vines principally in the area of Troesmses. Have sometimes bottled as such – but it was a hard sell! The area that lost the most for the domaine in 2016 – including human error…
Vibrant, mineral practically reductive nose. Nice volume, supple, mineral wine – yest an attractive accent of reduction – This is far from the Biggest or most energetic Beauroy but it is excellent Beauroy – complex, fresh agrume and absolutely lovely…
2016 Chablis 1er Vau-Ligneau
About 2.5 hectares – ‘Not a big parcel for us! The vines are now 32 years old and the cuvée gets more and more interesting.’ Only tank elevage.
A little biscuit reduction to start – behind is a ripeness of fruit. Nice in the mouth, a forward, mouth-watering style that’s mineral and slowly mouth-watering. This slowly growing in stature in the mouth. Pure delicious wine – again not large-scaled but beautifully tasty! Fine, airy but there is some substance here too.
2014 Chablis 1er Fourchaume
A parcel of 2.5 ha all in the same sector of ‘real’ Fourchaume. This is already bottled in the summer as it’s more in demand – the others tend to be bottled closer to the harvest.
A relatively tighter nose, but the base is quite mineral and with less overtly ripe fruit as the Vau-Ligneau shows. There is a little trace of gas here – also more effervescent energy – a coincidence? But the wine has absolutely delicious and melting flavour over the palate – almost a sherbet style of energy and character. Fine and wide. Simply lovely wine – and my favourite!
The last two wines seeing some oak elevage:
Principally 500 litre barrels for this – a little new. These are old vines too – ‘only’ 4k bottles. The oaked Chablis and Beauroy have much darker bottles – but that’s just for the domaine’s logistics – so they know which bottles are which cuvee!
Nicely open and mineral – this is highly attractive – it says ‘drink me!’ Very wide, insistent flavour of fine and consistent intensity. Bubbling with minerality and really an extra depth of fine flavour. Easily my new favourite – bravo!
2016 Chablis Les Clos
Not proprietors here, but each year buy from friends. He is also oak on one part that is assembled with tank wine.
Not the biggest nose – but vibrant, mineral and inviting – super. Ooh – yes! Volume, energy, a fine touch of silk to texture – super mouth-watering – really complex. This is Clos worthy of the label – beautifully complex if uncommonly attractive and drinkable already – only right at the end of the finish – and that means waiting a while – is there the subtlest touch of oak. Super – I could drink this with absolute joy all day.