Tasted in Beines with Adrien Michaut, 21 January 2019.
Domaine de La Motte
41 rue du Ruisseau
89800 Beine
Tel: + 33 3 86 42 49 61
www.chablis-michaut.fr
Adrien on 2018:
“I like some length to my elevage so I’m not yet tempted into bottling them! A harvest that was unexpected; we thought we had another small harvest so it was a more than nice surprise! I started harvesting about 10-12 September so a week after many – I may have needed to correct the acidity in some tanks but what I brought in had great degrees so let’s see. My only regrets for 2018 are Brexit and the Gillets Jaunes!”
Adrien on 2017:
“In 2017 I lost about 30% – practically all due to the frost. Some parcels delivered less than 10 hl/ha – so overall it worse in 2017 than in 2016 for the domaine. Chablis and the two premier crus were the worst hit by frost – we have 35 hl/ha with aspersion, 7 without! But the wines are lovely – they have more acid and are more ‘Chablis’ than 2016. It’s a lovely vintage – a shame we don’t have that much to sell. ”
The wines…
A great range. There’s nothing I wouldn’t be happy to have in my cellar – and the best wines have that brilliant 2017 finale – those great finishing flavours.
All DIAM5 since 2013.
The last of multiple bottlings of this cuvée, done in December.
A relatively tight nose but with a lovely agrume depth to the aroma. Supple, concentrated, silky, no edges – great depth of flavour – and interesting, mouth-watering flavour too – bravo! It’s almost too good for Petit Chablis! – ‘This year a lot of people prefer our Petit Chablis for 1 euro less!’
2017 Chablis
10% oak elevage here.
Deeper, fuller and faintly saline. Even more mouth-filling, more wine, more complexity but a hint less delicious today than the PC – it’s just a timing thing, there’s more here and it’s excellent with a finishing touch of salinity too.
2017 Chablis Vieilles-Vignes
40-60 year-old vines, some of the oldest vines today in Beines. Vines from grandparents. Here with some barrel and demi-muids for elevage. Harvested quite late
Also a little tight, faintly saline spice aroma. More calm but lots of mouth-filling volume – really fine texture. Supple, but sweetly mineral, agrume again, slightly sweetened – more delicious than the Chablis today despite a certain tightness. Excellent – really a great finish too!
Ooh a much more open nose – fine and complex – yes! Mouth-filling, fresh, energetic – accessible but really to wait for – great 1er cru – such a fine and long, complex finish. Bravo!
Hmm – a bigger nose, fresher, riper fruit but really attractively so. Bigger, fresher in the mouth too – ooh and that’s got a great complexity. Almost a creaminess to the finishing depth of juicy flavour – bravo again!