Tasted in Beines with Louis (shortly) and Anne Moreau with Eric Steinger and 09 January 2019.
Domaine Louis Moreau
10, Grande rue
89800 Beines
Tel: +33 3 86 42 87 20
www.louismoreau.com
Anne and Louis on 2018:
“2018 – we could have had more rain but it was a very good year – a rendement that was ideal – approaching 60 hl/ha in the villages. A very nice vintage. Really no problem with maladies, nice weather, dry but given the results it seems that it wasn’t too dry and wasn’t too warm! The vines didn’t seem to fatigue so the winter and spring rain up to March must have been enough. Harvesting was an 04 Sept start and we think we kept a good freshness – we could also see better balance in the first-picked grapes versus the last picked – there are nice things.”
Anne and Louis on 2017:
2017 was less easy, principally because of the frost – but less frost than in 2016 – we produced practically double! In the end we were penalized by about 15-20% due to the frost – it was the Petit Chablis and the Vaulignau that mainly felt the cold. We began our harvest 06-07 September.
The wines…
There is a round richness to a number of the wines this vintage – despite 100% stainless-steel elevage – but with no lack of either transparency or freshness – these wines are simply brilliantly delicious – I could drink every one of them today – but their balance also assures longevity. A super address for 2017s!
50k bottles of Petit Chablis here in a normal year, using a high percentage of screw-caps. Across the rest of the range, they are now using DIAMs; 3, 5 and 10, though in 2017 all the grands crus have normal cork. Like most years, all the grand crus are still in tank, the rest are all bottled.
2017 Petit Chablis
Screw-cap. The major part is Beines towards Lignorelles on the plateau. Some above Les Clos too but that’s the smaller part.
A touch of yellow citrus, practically licorice. Round, a touch softness, rich flavour. Concentrated, long, layered. This has bags of flavour and very little rigour. Yum!
2017 Domaine de Biéville, Chablis
From Viviers – 18km east of Beines. In the family since the 70s. South facing, on the plateau, not planted for a long time, pure Kimmerigian terroir. Much less frost versus 2016 here.
Fresh, wide – attractive aroma. Round, cushioned texture, layered, delicious flavour. Nicely vibrant finishing – lovely, lovely here – really excellent.
2017 Chablis
Usually about 25 hectares worth of vines. 80% from around Beines, the rest from the communes of Fleys and Chablis
More mineral, saline, fresh nose. Also cushioned texture, but more mineral, ample but with fine definition, energy and length – absolutely delicious finishing again – but not the same!
2017 Chablis 1er Vaulignot
Back to Beine, more north, north-east facing. Bottled in October…
A narrower nose, finer, faintly agrumed impression of reduction. Ooh this is super in the mouth – grapefruit-style agrume. A little richness to the texture, decadent yet with agrume complexity. Long – Is it obviously Chablis? I’m unsure – but it’s absolutely delicious – Excellent!
True Fourneaux. Not much frost here. 4 hectares.
A more floral width of aroma here – but everything is stainless-steel – a little more reductive minerality below. More mouth-filling, fresh, but full – still a very round wine, but so mouth-watering. I think this really top – there is so much to enjoy. Bravo! Hmm a little explosion of finishing flavour too – so good!
2 hectares at the base/heart of Vaillons, vines now 55 years old. All work made in organic way, uncertified.
Ooh – a super mineral nose – but absolutely attractive – no overt rigour. Nice volume in the mouth, less overt richness – but it’s there. Another wine of mouth-watering flavour, sucrosity but still mineral and faintly saline. More intensity in the finish though less explosive. Also Bravo!
2017 Chablis Blanchot
From tank, still all stainless-steel for the grand crus in 2017 – this the most east-facing of these grand crus.
Another floral nose. Round – such a beautiful combination of round shape, concentration, but balanced minerality too. So long, bubbling with complex flavour – great, great finishing…
2017 Chablis Les Clos
Plain-south-facing.
Still an aromatic volume but with finer points of interest. A touch of gas, bigger in the mouth, more transparent a little more energy (probably the gas) but also a more agrume direction for the fruit. More vibrant finishing. Über-delicious!
Wide, less full volume aroma, some suggestions of flowers. Seems fresher, more steely, with more intent and intensity. There is more line here, more width of small finishing waves in the finish – Bravo!
A richness of ripe fruit intertwined with fine mineral balance. But so fresh, energetic in the mouth, not overtly rich but overtly fresh and concentrated. I prefer the finish of the previous, but overall, this is equally great!
2017 Chablis Vaudesir
A large nose but more airy, with such an attractive floral accent to the complexity. Supple, wide, lots of volume, mineral, like all with zero rigour – you could drink every one of these with pleasure today. Great agrume finishing, complex and so delicious again. Fabulous.