Tasted in Tonnerre with Baudoin Millet, 06 January 2021.
Domaine Millet
Ferme de Marcault
Route de Viviers
89700 Tonnerre
Tel: +33 3 86 75 92 56
www.chablis-millet.com
More reports for Domaine Millet
A very nice new tasting room chez Boudoin this year! “Yes, we’d planned everything and were just about to start when confinement came – we paused and asked ourselves if it was the right time. In the end, we decided that if we didn’t go ahead we might never do it!”
Baudoin on 2020:
“We were expecting a super-abundant vintage, like 2018. We had enough grapes but we didn’t have the volume of juice in them – it’s the third consecutive vintage of, we can say, drought during the summer. In the end, we lacked only about 10% volume versus our average, but we had been expecting more. Still, beautiful clean grapes, and of course harvested quite early – the start of September. The analytics are very interesting as they have plenty of acidity despite the heat.”
Baudoin on 2019:
“Another early start to the growth, followed by the dry and heat of the summer – I think richer and more concentrated – less volume than in 2020 – approaching a third lower than my average – I can’t blame any frost or poor flowering on the final volume.”
The wines…
One of the strongest sets of wines I ever tasted at this fine domaine – really a great job in 2019.
The first wines are sealed with DIAM-equivalents, the VV, 1er and GCs are with cork:
2019 Petit Chablis
This wine sees elevage for the same length of time as the 1er cru.
Open and inviting nose – some depth of minerals and a suggestion of flowers – I’m sure with more to come. Wide, super energy – almost a fizz of energy – long and mineral finishing. Excellent PC!
A later bottling with longer time on the lees. A quality clone that delivers a lower yield – – normally more round.
This nose starts more compact – a few higher tones but not a large difference. More direct, slightly more cushioned but only at the edges – this is direct and intense, adding layers of finishing flavour. Extra width and mouth-watering presence to finish. Bravo – but still not ready!
2019 Chablis
More breadth of aroma a little extra citrus complexity and some first hints of florals. This is forward and fresh, properly structured, even a hint of tannin to the texture. Hmm, that’s a nice finish – here a blend of florals and minerality – wine to wait for again, but properly complex, pure and structured Chablis – yum!
0.38 hectares of 65-year-old vines normally with a smaller yield. Elevage like the Perle – a little longer…
A compact nose that is slowly adding a depth of yellow citrus complexity. Wider end more obviously energetic – but in a more mouth-filling style. Energy, a touch of tannin, the flavour growing more and more insistent. That’s easily the best finish – deep, complex and impressive. Bravo!
1 hectare of vines.
Like all today (a root or a covid day?) the nose is a little tight, showing flashes of interest at the base of the aroma. Ooh – now here is an obvious extra level of concentration, a richness of minerality, melting with flavour. That’s so good – a wine that doesn’t need overt energy – it has its own intrinsic mineral energy. Give it plenty of time but that has the potential for great!
And the contracts – bottled in December:
Bought as grapes.
Still not a big nose but one with a more overt presence of freshness. Direct, beautifully silky-textured. Pure mineral but nothing austere despite not showing all it has – you will not see the 50% barrel elevage. That has the potential to be a great wine again.
Compact again, but there’s a more overtly vibrant aspect to these aromas. I thought the Vaudesir wouldn’t be equalled, but I was wrong, the same melting, largely mineral palate – but here as much width as direct style – adding some agrume complexity. This is already great – or will be when the nose chooses to open. Bravo!