Tasted in Préhy with Frédéric & Céline Gueguen, 16 January 2020.
Domaine Céline et Frédéric Gueguen
31, Grande rue de Chablis
89800 Préhy
Tel: +33 3 86 41 45 06
www.chablis-gueguen.fr
More reports for Domaine Céline et Frédéric Gueguen
Fred on 2019:
“A cold start for about 1.5 months – we lit candles in Vosgros about 8 times – we were out checking and waiting more often than that though. There was a little damage but I think more losses were from the heat of the summer. Wines with more structure and complexity in them versus 2018. We started harvesting 8-9 September but in lovely conditions. Without our VCI from 2018 we would not have made what we needed but with that included the average of the two years is correct.”
Fred on 2018:
“I found it an easy year, really, it was wet to start so we had a good reserve of water in the soil. The summer was dry so no problem with diseases, and really easy in the cuverie too – all the vinifications went well – also in 2019. No, very happy, we harvested quite early and I think that was good for the acidity. The wines are easy for people who want to learn about Chablis but they are very tasty.”
The wines…
Showing a few more cuvées this year. 2018 continues the house style of freshness and a certain classic style – even in the face of the 2018 vintage – many highly recommended wines here in 2018.
From 2018 the wines will be DIAM sealed, not just the entry ones – some screw-cap will also remain. There will be another bottling of 2018 Chablis, but essentially all is already done:
2018 Sacy, Cépage Confidential
Planted a little more next to their old vines last year.
Hmm a nice aromatic here, faint herb not so faint salinity – it’s a really super invitation. Full, complex a little less racy than some other vintages, almost a pepper-spice over the tongue. Fine and interesting depth of flavour. Lovely mouth-watering finish – reminds of refreshing Schweppes tonic – who would have thought!
2018 Saint-Bris
Hmm – that’s another wine with a saline welcome. A little gas here. Wide, mineral, nothing overtly sauvignon, long, mouth-watering again – that’s excellent Saint-Bris and really lovely wine.
Old vines from Céline’s grandfather.
This is oily deep and faintly spiced, really a non-standard nose. Round, extra mineral, layered and delicious – easily bravo aligoté. The finish is so great.
2018 Bourgogne Chardonnay Côtes Salines
Vines south of Préhy, a little from around St.Bris too – but the latter is only about 20% of the mix
More aromatic – still saline but a spiced depth of fruit too. More overt mouth-filling volume. Round, easy, delicious with just enough structure to make the wine more than a little interesting. Excellent Bourgogne.
From 1.3 hectares in Préhy. Here with screw-cap, half is done with DIAM also.
Here’s a nice nose, a little more reticent but one that majors of the essential – salinity! A little touch of reduction here – but a nice structural shape, and a properly mineral stance – a little burst of citrus acidity to finish – Bravo!
2018 Chablis
From Préhy and Chichée – 6.5 hectares worth.
Just a little more fruit and width to this nose. Almost a tannin on the leading edge of flavour – open, fine clarity, mineral wine – very little richness and nice citrus drive – again a super example of 2018 Chablis still holding onto that great finish that vintage delivered.
‘We wanted to do a different cuvée but everyone does ‘old vines’, they are not the oldest vines that we have, but they are the same vintage as me and Céline!’ Vines in Préhy. A little extra time in elevage but all in tank.
A little extra musk – but not muscaté vines. Super line and drive – this is top, extra direct, super acidity. Super classic – bravo!
2018 Chablis 1er Vosgros
Two parcels, one in Vosgiros, together about 0.45 ha and with about 25 years of age.
A lovely saline introduction, once more. Bright, super clarity, fine energy, a suggestion of tannin to the texture and really beautiful citrus acidity – excellent – maybe more! A wide and saline wave of finishing flavour. That’s really excellent once more!
2018 Chablis 1er Vaucoupin
Older vines in one single parcel, planted in 1975.
A little ripeness of fruit here but again surrounded by a salinity. Rounder, riper fruit but this is also a wine with a fine mineral drive too – lovely agrume acidity in the finish – simply delicious wine with zesty finish.
Bought in must since 2016. No oak, bottled in July.
This has a little more heft there is salinity and there is a fresh weight of aroma behind. Ooh, that’s a beautiful fruit – a soup of agrumes with a little added richness of texture. Love the clarity of the agrume fruit here – not too rich but there’s lots of concentration for sure. Really a super wine – excellent Chablis grand cru – great 2018.
And to finish:
‘The 19s are even more concentrated.’
Good deep colour. Not an in your face ripeness of fruit – rather a more subtle, slightly herbed invitation to drink. Nice drive, lots of energy, here is a wine with energy, delivered in gusto – mineral, graphite style flavour in the finish – not quite a licorice. Long tasty wine. That will be great Irancy if the nose opens with the classic fruit.
