Tasted in Chablis with Yvon, Clémentine and Laurent Vorcoret, 17 January 2018.

Domaine Yvon & Laurent Vocoret
9 Chemin de Beaune
89800 Maligny
Tel; +33 3 86 47 51 60
www.chablis-yvon-vocoret.com

Laurent on 2017:
“2017 was similar to the year before – frost in the spring like 2016 but the worst hit areas were reversed – last year it was the south of the vignoble that was more hit, in 2017 it was us to the north – people were caught out to, for example the plateau of Lignorelles never frosts – but it did in 2017! It was cold for 14 days but it was really 1-2 days that did the most damage. It was about 50% of a normal harvest for us.”

Laurent on 2016:
“The first storm hit all the north-east of Chablis on the 13 May. Then on the 25th another came from the west – and that was after the frost! In Maligny we were hardly touched by the frost, but the hail… There are friends with virtually nothing, here lost about 55%.”

The wines…

A super selection of wines, relatively classic in the context of 2016 in general.

Petit Chablis excepted, all bottled in inert atmosphere, and bottled in July.

2016 Petit Chablis
From the plateau above Maligny – mainly sold in brasseries and restaurants
A volume of aroma – fruit and minerals together. Mouth-filling, some muscle but also attractively layered and slightly saline – very easy to appreciate in this vintage but fine too. Excellent, long finishing PC.

2016 Chablis 1er Fourchaume
From Homme-Mort
A little fresh fruit – not quite apricot but attractive with freshness behind. Hmm, really mouth-filling, mineral but sweetly mineral, mouth-watering, layered and long – no overt richness of texture. Ooh this is so good and so mouth-watering in the finish. Excellent!

2016 Chablis 1er Homme-Mort
Not the widest nose but a nice vibration of minerality. Wide, extra intensity, mouth-watering again, lovely over the palate – a classic with just a suggestion of rigour but that will need less than 6 months to fix. Super.

2016 Chablis ‘Renaissance’
Three old vine parcels, part vinified in tank then elevage in oak – mainly 500l barrels with 4.5 wines behind them. Vines from 1936, 1939 and 1961
There’s a note of ripe fruit but mainly it’s the vanilla/coconut oak today. In the mouth this has great drive and direction, pure, mouth-watering flavour – really great. Far too much oak on the nose for me today, it’s more modest on the palate, but in 3 years this could be something really special. Long and mineral finishing with a little agrume-style fruit. Delicious despite the barrel note…