Tasted in Chablis with Vincent Bartement & Olivier Masmondet, 28 January 2022.
La Chablisienne
8, Boulevard Pasteur
89800 Chablis
Tel: +33 3 86 42 89 89
www.chablisienne.fr
More reports with La Chablisienne
Vincent on 2020:
“Well, it’s definitely a better volume than in 2021. It’s still a little down versus normal but I think okay. It was the dryness that made the difference. It was, of course, a really early start – harvesting at the end of August – in warm conditions. We did have some frost in March and again in early May too but during dry conditions so there wasn’t much damage to report. We had, luckily, a bit of rain in the growing season as it was very dry in the summer. Our average Chablis ranged between 11.5-12.5° and the volume was about 10% down – there were plenty of grapes but less juice than would be typical. Balanced wines. I slightly prefer the 2019s right now but not all is bottled from the 2020s yet so we have time:”
The wines…
Like many red domaines – there was almost an extra month of elevage due to the early harvest – but it was hardly enough and many need more time. Vincent may not (yet?) be sure if these 20s are better than his 2019s – but I find more great wines than last year!
Since 2018 it’s all DIAM style seals here except the use of some Nomarcorc occasionally for the Petit Chablis. Aiming for end of February for bottling the last wines:
2020 Petit Chablis Dame Nature AB
This has a little green note – the pyrazine only as an accent though. I don’t taste it though, rather I see a very silky, direct and very tasty wine. That’s very good.
More round, pure – no greens – that’s a fine nose. Broad, fresh, energetic. That’s a lovely wine – perfect mouth-watering PC. Bravo!
2020 Chablis Le Finage
Multiple origins, of-course with a tank elevage like the previous Petit Chablis(s).
That’s a lovely, pure, direct and fresh nose. Mouth-filling, fresh, joyous, moreish wine. That’s absolutely excellent
2020 Chablis Dame Nature AB
Organic vines, all tank elevage.
A small reduction – quite attractive – nothing green like the previous organic wine. Mobile, layered, still finely fresh – lots of citrus skin complexity. That’s a lovely wine. Mounting with finishing intensity too.
2020 Chablis La Pierrelée
In tank. Some old vine parcels in here. Parts with a little elevage in wood.
Deeper more zesty nose – not yet bottled. Vibrant, quite incisive a small rounding of the shape due to 5% barrel elevage, moving to 400-litre barrels. Slowly fading in a relaxed style in the finish. This starts great and finishes well. Very good!
Also a width of freshness and zesty citrus skins – a little more elegant than the Pierrelée. Super in the mouth – open, fresh, the merest suggestion of pyrazine in the complexity – but at this level, it makes things even more interesting – I think bravo!
2020 Chablis 1er Grand Cuvée
A large part from Beauregard but plenty of the compass points of Chablis – a relatively constant blend each year.
Airy, slightly oak-spiced and attractively floral too. Direct, pure, mineral – the essence of Chablis – growing on citrus volume. It’s the largest 1er cru cuvée here and it is simply excellent this year – some years it’s great!
2020 Chablis 1er Beauroy
Beauroy and a little Troesmes
That’s really lovely – a little reductive and a lot mineral. Mouth-filling, lots of cool freshness – vibrant in the middle. Very different but also an excellent wine.
2020 Chablis 1er Côte de Léchet
The biggest 1er cru cuvée of La Chablisienne
That’s fine – wider, yellow-citrus – airy style. Mouth-filling, airy style in the mouth too, very open, easy, delicious fresh flavour that grows in intensity as head towards the finish. Long and satisfying.
Fuller, more vibrant – citrus skins and lemon. Wow – that’s intense, dynamic wine. Maybe a touch of green, maybe not but complex and great. There’s the richness of flavour without fat here.
2020 Chablis 1er Les Lys
Also a part of Vaillons – of-course. Only old wood here – 6 years or so, but the flavour is visible – the Vaillons had a small amount of new oak but it wasn’t visible.
A yellow citrus – more accented by the barrel in this case. Supple, mouth-watering, concentrated delicious wine – though plenty of oak showing today – so I’d leave this in the cellar for 3-4 years.
Mainly Butteaux, a little (10%) Forêts and a little Montmains too! ‘Here is more clay, here comes more volume, it’s about the roots not the sun!’
That’s a great nose of ripe but fresh agrume-fruit even orange flesh complexity. Full, fresh, complex – this is great 2020 – it has the freshness and fluidity of the best. Bravo really one of the best 1ers of the vintage!
2020 Chablis 1er Fourchaume
Vaupulent and Côte de Fontenay
A little tighter, nicely attractive in the middle but it’s still a compact nose today. This is wide, also relatively cool fruited – some structure but never hard. Wide and tasty finishing – this is so very good – almost excellent!
A big open fresh nose – plenty of fine citrus here – almost as good as the Montmains. Super energy, less directly focused as the Montmains but more mouth-filling. There’s a little oak here today. I’d certainly take the Montmains in preference today – but the decision could be harder in 5 years. This is also a great 1er…
Hmm – not as large as the last but with a panorama of aroma that approaches the purity and style of the Montmains. Direct. Melting, more grain from the tannin/citrus bitters. Much less oak. Beautifull direct and pure in the finish – Bravo!
2020 Chablis 1er Montée de Tonnerre
In the triangle at the centre of MdT
Large-scaled aromas, framed with a little barrel but lots of lemon style fruit and very fine too. This is powerful and concentrated – there’s some generosity of flavour too but not heavy. This is a super wine for keeping – there’s structure but very well hidden by the concentration.
2020 Chablis 1er Mont de Milieu
Two parcels Chablis and Fleys side.
Fresh and open – not the full-power energy of the last but lovely. This has scale – really mouth-filling, complex, vibrant citrus flavours of fine intensity and at the end as you head towards the finish very pure too. Lovely wine, slowly mouth-watering… This starts with greatness, though finishes a little more discretely today.
2020 Chablis Bougros
Higher in Bougros next to Preuses
A tight, concentrated but pure nose. Mouth-filling – depth of concentration – never heavy but for waiting to let it open and the delicacy and complexity express itself. I think everything is here but wait 5 years. That’s a super-impressive finish.
2020 Chablis Blanchots
More open, indeed quite wide – mineral but sweetly accented aromas. Mouthfilling – there’s a more visible mouth-watering style to this wine. Extra mouth-watering – finishing almost chalky – that’s showing really well today – it’s an excellent grand cru!
That’s a lovely nose – wide, a vibration of both minerality and florals – lovely. Mouth-filling, fine energy, a faint oak follows all the flavours (500-litre barrels) but this is an excellent Preuses – which means a great wine!
2020 Chablis Les Clos
From the top of the Clos – two suppliers
Airy yet a little more compact nose today. Lots of energetic complexity here, really a super mix of minerals and styles of citrus – the structure barely visible except as you head into the finish – long and hold with impressive persistence. Seriously super wine – give it time and it will be excellent for sure – 10 5+ years! 10 if you wish – no problem with DIAM…
The most open, pure, florally perfumed nose of these GCs today. Extra width, pure, clean, concentrated yet sufficiently fluid – mineral and saline but intertwined with the floral perfume of the nose. There’s still a, certain, inner-calm to this wine – but beautiful wine – you won’t notice the oak either. A Great Chablis.