Tasted in Tonnerre with Baudoin Millet, 18 January 2019.
Domaine Millet
Ferme de Marcault
Route de Viviers
89700 Tonnerre
Tel: +33 3 86 75 92 56
www.chablis-millet.com
Baudoin on 2018:
“I would say that I’m happy. A little like usual I have the impression that some harvest quite early though – we started 11 September. We like to have the ripe fruit – maybe the acidity will be a little lower, but if the fruit’s not ripe, it’s not ripe – there’s nothing you can do with that. But it’s a democracy! You can always acidify if it’s necessary, but you can’t make the fruit riper. I’m also happy because we made the rendement – we’ve had very low yields in the last couple of years – but we don’t have big yields anyway – so I would say that they were correct.”
Baudoin on 2017:
“Happy with these too. 2016 was atypical with a tiny yield but with 2017 it’s a vintage that is very typical of the region. This area was only a little touched by the frost so I can be happy with the yields and the quality. 2017 was definitely better from human, finance and commercial perspectives. We were frosted a little in Viviers, though clearly not much compared to some places. The balance and cleanliness of the grapes was super. In the end we made 20% less than normal in 2017 – that’s three times more than in 2016!”
The wines…
Supple, elegant, fine flavoured – and lacking for nothing. Always first-rate entry wines here and the ‘maison’ wines are very good too!
2017 Maison Bourgogne Chardonnay
This the second vintage for the cuvée, ‘initially made because in 2016 we had no Petit Chablis that year and the bulk pricing was higher than I could sell. But I still tried to make a PC style – a blend of Mâcon and Tonnerre to have the roundness but the vivacity too. It worked well with the 2016 so I’ve done it again and it’s a vine that pleases me. You can’t drink medals but my friends like it!’
Nicely aromatic there’s a core of nice fruit framed by freshness and a touch of salinity. Supple, a different style of fruit at the core but delivered, chauffeured, in a local style. Interesting and tasty wine!
2017 Petit Chablis
This wine sees elevage for the same length of time as the 1er cru.
Hmm – what a lovely nose – touched by florals and fine high-toned notes – a great invitation. Full, a little richness to the flavour, but the finish is broad and bright and dances over the palate. Maybe more than excellent for the label.
A later bottling with longer time on the lees. A quality clone that delivers a lower yield – – normally more round.
A similar nose but a little more composed – very elegant. More intent, more concentration. Layered but with plenty of energy. Lovely flavour – a great driving flavour. Ooh that’s great – the last is for drinking now but this is for keeping just a little longer!
2017 Chablis
Less impact, but a very fine and high-toned delicate but beautiful nose. Direct, mineral – a surprise vs the nose. But great flavour, a touch of rigour too – for keeping a little but excellent wine – deliciously finishing with a long citric line.
2017 Chablis Vieilles Vignes
0.4 hectares of 60 year-old vines normally with a smaller yield and of course a lot was lost to the frost. Elevage like the perle – a little longer…
Fine top notes but here is a wine that speaks more about the aromatic concentration in the depth. Fuller, richer – in texture too – but with plenty of drive and energy. Contemplative but at the same time complex. It’s very fine – and this you could already start to drink as it’s so supple with a great finish…
2017 Chablis 1er Vaucoupin
1 hectare of vines.
A lovely width of fine, fresh aroma – less overt depth vs the last. A little extra freshness – more layered, more open – not more concentrated than the last but more alive and with an insinuating extra depth of flavour. Excellent – I like this very much. Vibrant in the finish.
2017 Maison Chablis Les Preuses
Bought as grapes.
A fume here – ‘yes a little barrel in the elevage’ – but wait and the nose becomes absolutely splendid. Ooh, very deep, long, saline – the most saline of all these for sure – depth and complexity – wait a little longer for absolute deliciousness but this is a complex and very, very impressive wine with a truly great finish. Excellent, perhaps greater in the future!
2017 Maison, Chablis Vaudesir
A little less fume to start and completely gone in a couple of minutes – it’s pure fruit that remains – crystalline. Wide, mineral – fresher and more obviously structured today. Yet slowly melting over the palate too. This is super – the Preuses gives you more today though that’s a baby too. Two super gcs…