Tasted with Isabelle Collin-Gautheron in Fontenay, 24 January 2023.
Domaine des Quatre Chemins
13, Rue des Puits
89800 Fontenay-Près-Chablis
Tel: +33 6 82 32 25 28
www.domainequatrechemins.com
More reports with Domaine des Quatre Chemins
Isabelle on 2022:
“For 2022 I can be very happy – not quite a full harvest but the grapes were also lovely quality so, yes, happy. It’s not my ‘politic’ to bottle early but I will do a small bottling for the cash flow as the 21s are practically all gone.”
Isabelle on 2021:
“It was less than half a normal volume. As I have a very young domaine, it helped me a lot that I could still sell some in bulk as the prices really peaked around that time. Almost all are sold right now for the Petit Chablis. I kept back some of the Chablis and the 1er and grand cru wines are not yet bottled. The price of bottles have increased 60% in 18 months… but it’s not just the bottles it’s all the dry goods such as labels and packaging – even the wax if I want to seal the bottles that way!”
The wines…
A super range – Isabelle is a fine addition to my roster of great producers!
A DIAM equivalent is used for all the wines:
Just a single parcel – this was once classed as Chablis but got declassified in the 70s – from ‘Petit Preuses’ just like at Domaine Roy…
A deep and very attractive – proper Chablis – nose that’s more mineral than fruit. Wide and super shape – pure, mineral wine – almost a haughty austerity to this – class – and it’s long too, easing into the finish with a bit more citrus – great PC! – There is even less at the domaine now because I bought some!
A mix of parcels for this wine – a mix of ‘very old and very young’ vines.
Also a similar, almost austere style to this nose – fresh, inviting, some seashore too. Extra vibrant, lots of mouth-watering energy – saline too – great energy – bravo! I bought some of this too!
The last two tasted from tank:
2021 Chablis 1er Fourchaume
A more golden-fruited and still quite vibrant, slightly floral nose. 5 months of barrel elevage too here – but it’s hardly visible. Long, fine – super wine. A fine and long, direct finish, almost an elegance here.
2021 Chablis Bougros
3 months in 300-litre barrel from 2016 – now in tank.
Broad, faintly barrel-spiced aromas. Lots of energy; the yellow citrus blends with more saline and energetic others. Then it expands much wider in the finish – really a panorama – grand cru finishing – the wood is subtle and will quickly fade. Simply an excellent grand cru that’s about energy and persistence rather than fat and concentration – my preference is the former! Super!