Tasted in Chablis with Romain Collet, 16 January 2019.
Domaine Jean Collet & Fils
15 avenue de la Liberté
89800 Chablis
Tel: +33 3 86 42 11 93
www.domaine-collet.fr
Romain on 2018:
“2018 – My grandmother told me it’s probably once in the life of a vigneron that you will see that – I still hope for more! The flowering was good a little coulure in some places. One night with frost worry and we lit the candles – always worry of hail during the year – a little rain 10 days before harvesting – from the first press we saw very good volume. There was relatively low acidity – analytically – but the wines didn’t taste like that. Malos often underway before sugars had finished – tension and minerality it seems but I prefer to wait until after the rackings to make up my mind – but I’m happy to have what looks good, and plenty of it!”
Romain on 2017:
“In 2017 we a little more volume than in 2016 which was a year of mildew and hail, but no hail in the crus – but in 2017 it was the crus that suffered from the frost. We still managed a little more than 40 hl/ha but no there was Petit Chablis – there on the Maligny-Villy plateau the was 5-6 cm of shoots before 2 nights of -7°C. Even the following year didn’t bring a lot – the pruning was very difficult – it will be 2019 before they – hopefully – recover. The year after the hail was easier in some places than the year after the frost. But the wines of 2016 and 2017 I love. 2017 is more classic – very tasty to start but more classic in the finish – very crystalline wines of good length.”
The wines…
The first two wines were richer and sweeter than is my habitual taste – but after that much more classic – wines whose calling card is the brilliance of their finishes. The bottled wines were quite tight – but those sampled from tank were much more open – sub-optimal timing for my tasting this year…
No Petit Chablis. They were just finishing the bottling of 2017s when I visited but some cuvées are already sold out at the domaine. All the wines wear DIAM, except the grand crus, but there are tests on those too…
2017 Chablis
Normally the assembly of about 10 hectares worth of grapes, this year 11 as it includes the VV harvest as there wasn’t enough of that to do separately.
A relatively tight nose, faintly lime. Full in the mouth, round, lots of sucrosity. There’s a floral aspect to the flavours too – big, boisterous wine.
2017 Chablis Les Truffières
2 hectares worth, all organic viticulture in Villy. There are currently 11 hectares that are certified – it wasn’t on the bottles but some sellers have asked for that – so maybe next year!
A little more open, more depth of aroma. Hmm – more energy, still deep almost sugary a rich sucrosity here. Great finishing but still a bit big and sweet for my tastes…
2017 Chablis 1er Montmains
Only stainless-steel elevage here. From 4 parcels of true Montmains amounting to 5 hectares.
A little more open, a little wider, still quite tight. Plenty of volume, more mouth-watering, less overt richness and more drive. This is still quite sweet but has nice, indeed very attractive waves of flavour through the middle and into the finish. More classic more delicious – lovely!
2017 Chablis 1er Butteaux
A little toasty reduction from the DIAM I expect. Calmer than the Montmains, but with a nice melting line of flavour – composed but more classic than the first two wines. Really very tasty, particularly in the finish with a lovely purity of fruit – yum!
2017 Chablis 1er Le Forêt
Bought in 2005, replanted in 2008, 0.92 hectares. Like the last some oak but this time with the tank part in concrete ‘eggs’ – also viticulture Bio. This is the 5th vintage after replanting in 2008, the last couple of years it went into the Montmains.
Hmm – still a bit tight but there’s freshness. More line, more overt minerality, not a massive energy but there is mineral energy here and more than enough freshness – pretty but a smaller wine than the last two – great finishing again though – easily the most impressive part.
2017 Chablis 1er Vaillons
10 hectares here – lucky it’s mum’s favourite – ‘I can’t understand that anyone wouldn’t like it’ she says! From epinottes, minot, encieres, chatains and en Vaillons. 5% in barrel the rest in tank – after malo on part goes into older barrels. Bottled a couple of months before the last wines.
A little more open, good with of aroma – ripe lemon here. Ooh lots of volume but with clarity and a nice energy – plenty of small complexities. This is very tasty wine indeed – lovely – again with a great finish – the calling-card of the domaine in 2017 it seems.
2017 Chablis 1er Mont de Milieu
Just one parcel, 0.32 hectares with a manual harvest as there’s a lot of millerandes here. 100% demi-muids (600 litres) for 8-9 months then in tank to finish
Reasonably open. Some freshness and a fineness of complexity. Wide, a touch of gas, more minerality – super width still in the middle – composed but very delicious and complex. A finish that still grows and grows – it’s great here – even a finishing touch of tannin to the texture.
2017 Chablis Le Montée de Tonnerre
2 parcels – one of 0.25 plus another of 1.80 in Les Chapots. ‘The smaller brings a richness, the other a colder area brings the tension and vivacity.’ Vinified separately and then blended before bottling. All in barrel with 5% new. The last wine bottled.
Fresh, a nice vibration of minerality below. Hmm, a very nice line of minerality – vibrating with energy as it widens from the core – it resonates beautifully. Long, long. Deliciously long. Really super!
Wines now from tank:
2017 Chablis 1er Sechér
More open, a more over ripe lemon aroma. Depth, energy, complexity .- great agrume fruit and minerality – density in the finish too, here still showing an accent of oak – excellent.
2017 Chablis Valmur
More open again – lots of high-toned energy here. Really mouth-filling but some CO2 is amplifying that! Full, complex, great energy – this is excellent wine again – like the last a hint of patience for the last oak notes to fade, but excellent wine, another that vibrates in the finish – very long.
2017 Chablis Les Clos
Racked 2 days ago.
Deep ripeness of citrus but much tighter after the racking. More supple, silkier textured today, a density in the middle – not as energetic as the Valmur. Not tasting at the best time for sure, but it’s a wine of presence and a great finish.