Tasted in Chablis with Lucie Depuydt, 12 January 2023.

Maison J. Moreau & Fils  
La Croix St Joseph
15 Route d’Auxerre
89800 Chablis
Tel: +33 3 80 62 61 46
www.jmoreau-fils.com
More reports with J Moreau et Fils

Lucie on 2022:
“The volume is perfect – my only small regret is that we couldn’t have waited just a little longer to harvest in some cases – the malic acid was already pretty much burnt away!”

Lucie on 2021:
“We work on very long contracts and of course, they also have lower volume but they stay with us and we were not obliged to look into the bulk market. There is a small first bottling of Chablis and St.Bris but the rest are all now in tank, assembled and waiting. Except for the PC – there is none! Some of the wines show aromas similar to 2016 with a hint of botrytis.”

The wines…

Lots of super wines but at this stage of evolution, still showing some of the fumé notes of their barrel elevage – so wait 1-2 years. My notes of ‘excellent’ may turn out to be conservative!

The Chablis sealed with the new version of Nomacorc:

2021 Chablis
All stainless steel, no wood.
Nice breadth and clarity to this nose. Sitting fine and clean in the mouth – classically mineral, not too sweet, proper shape then a little extra citrus lift in the finishing flavours before holding very well – not a concentrated wine but a very well-balanced and delicious wine.

2021 Chablis 1er Vaillons
‘Essentially old vines just 30% are younger’ – the vines are in Roncieres, Epinottes, Chatains and Vaillons. About 20% oak elevage, none new.
A bigger, broader nose – yellow-fruit energy here. In the mouth – opposing to the nose – there’s a more structural shape almost chiselled, then finishing rounder and with a little barrel flavour – this is long too. I’d wait 2 years for the finish of the barrel to fade but this is lovely – great shape.

2021 Chablis 1er Vaucoupins
‘A favourite, partly because people don’t know it so well, but I love the smoky minerality and it keeps for so long.’ On every steep soil on the Kimmerigian rock, plus a part on the hard limestone on the plateau at the top.
Rounder, slightly reductive minerality with flashes of sweetness. Beautiful widescreen flavour and silky texture – a little more sucrosity and more fizzing energies in the finishing flavours – again a little smoky barrel in the finish – but this will be excellent – wait at least 2 years here too!

2021 Chablis 1er Montmains
Butteaux and Montmains mixed. The Butteaux very old vines with small, millerandage grapes – the Montmains more like 40-year-old vines.
A subtle reduction and slightly smoky barrel again. Yes! Mouth-filling, freshness and energy – this has a vibrant and mineral style – of course, mixed with the citrus – you can really imagine the fresh oyster dripping with lemon juice! Smoky finishing again. Excellent and with super length too!

2021 Chablis 1er Fourchaune
A mix of Fourchaume proper and Côte de Fonteneys.
A more direct nose, yellow citrus, ripe, almost golden. This sits beautifully in the mouth – clarity of flavour – volume, an ease to this shape and flavour – not overly energetic but enough – more contemplative. Very relaxing, tasty wine – the wine just about stronger than the wood in the finish of this one!

2021 Chablis 1er Mont de Milieu
Three parcels – bottom, middle and top.
This has a fine clarity of yellow citrus – almost golden like the Fourchaume. Supple – rich without losing the vibrancy of its energy – and a super finishing intensity too. Less ‘calm’ than the Fourchaue and the barrel completely assimilated. This is at least excellent!

2021 Chablis 1er Montée de Tonnerre
First vintage from this old parcel at the top of the vineyard.
Depth of aroma here – here is a more complex, less citrus-focused, nose. Structure, really a presence – slightly creamy oak is present here. A real personality and presence – super wine!

2021 Chablis Valmur
Practically 1 hectare and always harvested quite late for the best maturity – ‘It always takes a couple of years more in bottle to come around’
Another nose that’s got a hint of smoke and reduction. Mouth-filling, mineral, the fumé character a bit less than the nose. It’s the detonation of finishing flavour that sets this apart as a grand cru – so impressive – then fading and holding a beam of long finishing flavour.

2021 Chablis Clos
Deep and modestly fumé again. Supple, concentrated and mouth-filling. It’s the little extra complexities that are apparent here – rather than any dynamic energy. A zen-like middle impression where the flavour and shape hold. Finishing with the (mainly) family oak in this slowly mouthwatering finish.