Tasted in Chablis with Laurent and Clémentine Vorcoret (and Magnum), 15 January 2019.
Domaine Yvon & Laurent Vocoret
9 Chemin de Beaune
89800 Maligny
Tel; +33 3 86 47 51 60
www.chablis-yvon-vocoret.com
Laurent on 2018:
“Well the pruning wasn’t easy because it rained the whole winter and then the whole spring! But 2018 was magnifique. We had some worry about the dryness, and for a long time we had no idea of the rendement we would end up with – even 14 days before the harvest. To have such a volume but also a great ripeness – it’s practically unheard of. ”
Laurent on 2017:
“2017 was similar to the year before – frost in the spring like 2016 but the worst hit areas were reversed – last year it was the south of the vignoble that was more hit, in 2017 it was us to the north – people were caught out too, for example the plateau of Lignorelles never frosts – but it did in 2017! It was cold for 14 days but it was really 1-2 days that did the most damage. In the end it was about a half harvest – ‘un petit demi’ – so less than half! There was a great solidarity between the vignerons burning straw, candles and aspersion et-cetera, but with minus 7 or 8 there was nothing much that we could do. It’s very rare to see such a black frost – it was vicious. But I think we can show that we worked well all the same as the wines taste really good.”
The wines…
I enjoy the presence and personality of the wines from this producer – the villages Chablis is a really great example!
Petit Chablis excepted, all bottled in inert atmosphere Long corks, even for the Petit Chablis, “I’m not looking to save money,” says Laurent – “A few centimes here and there by moving to DIAM.”
2017 Petit Chablis
All Maligny – the domaine just has 0.3 ha in Villy. The Portlandian limestone here has much bigger fossilized mussels vs the tiny shellfish that are classic in the Kimmerigian.
Hmm – a nice nose – lemon-fruited, good width – not full power today. Hmm, this is really very good in the mouth though, with nice volume and some drive to the acid-mineral line – driving into the finish – here a rare rigour to the finishing minerality – lots of citrus zest in finish – I like it even more for that! Delicious!
I consistently find this to be great wine!
A wider nose – more volume – attractive saline lemon citrus – that’s an invitation. Bigger, silkier, there is drive there is direction, there is so much to see here – great wine – great Chablis. Long – sustaining a great zesty finish again – Bravo!
Three old parcels, all vinified in barrel.
A big nose that’s vibrant, a little floral, currently with plenty of oak to frame the aromas. There is oak on the palate too but this is a wine presence, of great line, melting, delicious flavour – really intense finishing, long, a faint phenolic touch in the finish. The oak is less perturbing on the palate today – give this 2 years – there is a great wine waiting.
2017 Chablis 1er Fourchaume
Hmm – wider – another full-power nose – lots of width, lots of ripe citrus again – mainly yellow. More composed – almost like going to a 2016 – but there is still plenty of energy here – lovey clarity – point of growing interest. Vibration of finishing flavour – like the previous wine a little citrus zest in the finish – but here it’s more closed. Excellent wine – have a little more patience with this one…
2017 Chablis 1er Homme-Mort
‘Always ready before the Fourchaume – it has a different finesse’
The first wine where the nose is more timid – but there is still a fresh citrus depth of-course, maybe even a suggestion of aniseed. Ooh – this is more direct – there is intensity here but also a round impression to the line as it heads into the finish – a light that burns strong with this one – almost a floral complexity in the finish. Less finishing power but more to start – this is another super wine, today I would take the Fourchaume though.
2013 Chablis 1er Exquise
A white bottle, grapes planted in 1979 from Fourchaume – a cold sector – ‘they are more serious here.’ Not a longer elevage, but they keep the bottles back – this is the currently available vintage. There haven’t been recent vintages of this wine made – it was made 2009-2014. In 2018 there will be another cuvée but ‘in a different form.’
A rounder but forward nose – a complex blend of aromas – honey, licorice, floral too. Ooh this has great freshness, line and energy – slowly coming to the fore are the ripe almost confit fruit. Bright, almost steely finishing. Another wine with a great presence – I like them all the more for that presence!