Tasted in Maligny with Emilie Séguinot (and Olaf!). 15 January 2019.

Domaine Daniel Séguinot et Filles
Route de Tonnerre
89800 Maligny
Tel: +33 3 86 47 51 40
www.chablis-daniel-seguinot.com

Emilie on 2018:
“2018 was superb – both quality and quantity – in the memories it’s a long time since something like that – a lot of concentration and sugar too – and after 3 years with hardly any volume. Perhaps like 1947. We were also hailed on 9 June on one hill – we thought great – the third vintage in a row! But then it looked like there was no juice too. Now the wines remind me of 2005 with the very tasty and fruity start – I think they are going to be a big hit for drinking young.”

Emilie on 2017:
“Really it’s not much better than in 2016. the vines started to push after the hail of 2016 but were then cut down by the frost. we lost two-thirds in 2017 after 80% in 2016. We were lucky that we had a lot of ‘vin clair’ not yet sold in 2015 usually it goes in bulk, the timing was that we could just hold on to them.

“Freshness with an attack in the mouth – it’s just what we look for. I think it’s a really good vintage that will age well and the vivacity and agrume fruit will help conserve it very well – a vintage that you can directly drink but will also be rewarded for patience. I think we will be surprised by the freshness in another 20 years – I don’t think we will have the same in 2016 – there is less energy there.”

The wines…

Good wines – though I only tasted two from 2017…

Currently it’s all ‘technical corks’ of Trescases just at the moment – there was a time with DIAM but then one cuvee had a problem and the bottler and DIAM were blaming each other and it was really difficult to get a resolution – so today it’s just Trescases… There are also plenty of screw-cap from this domaine too. ‘Both work well, it really depends on the market acceptance.‘

2017 Petit Chablis
A nose of sweet green – plenty of citrus. Hmm – a nice shape in the mouth – there’s freshness and a growing intensity. A great finishing line very classic and very long – this is excellent.

2017 Chablis
A more vibrant nose – vivid – very nice. Ooh round but also with lots of drive – intensity like the Petit Chablis, growing wider and wider in the mid and finishing flavour. A wide finishing wave of flavour – less impact than the Petit despite more weight. Very nice wine – and persistent in the lime-fruit register.

The last two had just been racked, so we took another look at the very rare 2016s!

2016 Chablis 1er Fourchaume
Fortunately for the domaine the 1ers weren’t touched in 2016 ‘but we never have a full rendement here’ – it was the PC and Chablis that was so badly hit.
Hmm – guarded but wide – also a nice fresh citrus to the nose. Ooh – deeper, concentrated but without fat or heaviness – a growing salinity – less direct energy but really plenty for balance. A great finish. It seems a little tight today…

2016 Chablis 1er Homme Mort
Ooh that’s a fine nose – very different – a vibration of minerality – very wide – but it’s not a big nose. Ooh (again) – that has the similar minerality in the flavours that I smell. Saline, concentrated, composed but absolutely delicious.