Tasted with Thomas Ventoura in Fontenay-près-Chablis, 25 January 2023.
Domaine Ventoura
3 Rue des Puits
89800 Fontenay-près-Chablis
Tel: +33 3 86 42 19 39
www.chablis-ventoura.com
More reports with Domaine Ventoura
Thomas on 2022:
“Of course, I’m happy. I had some VCI too in the Petit Chablis though not in the Chablis or 1ers. There were some losses due to April’s frosts but they were more than compensated for in other areas – the quality looks very good too – the fermentations went very quickly – all was done in January – also the barrels were all done. I will make a small first bottling of the PC and Chablis in March, otherwise – probably from the summer.”
Thomas on 2021:
“2021 was a little better than the catastrophe that we suffered in 2016 but it’s less than we had in 2017 – of course, it was a complicated year – we started harvesting on 21st September – I emphasise September, as it’s so often in August these days! That was still a bit earlier than planned as there was some botrytis developing and I wanted to get ahead of that. Fermentations were longer than in 22 but not problematic – it was certainly easier in the cuverie than it had been in the vines! The volume was, overall, about 60% down. Yes, the forward, almost exaggerated fruit that we saw in November has shrunken and we see the real shape, the real bones of the wines now…”
The wines…
A super result – one of the most consistently excellent ranges that I’ve tasted here – very well done!
All are sealed with DIAM; DIAM3 for the Petit Chablis and DIAM5 “I never had a problem so I’ve no reason to change and I can also reduce the amount of sulfur I use at bottling time.”
Two parcels in Fontenay. Bottled May – only tank elevage. The conversion to organic in this vintage was underway – 2023 will be the first AB vintage.
Ooh – that’s nice – first wine of the day – direct, a little vibration of minerality – that’s a fine invitation. In the mouth too – incisive, mineral, cool fruit but with fine balance – that’s delicious, mouth-watering and partly saline – simply a great start!
All tank elevage, same as the PC, bottled August.
That’s, if anything, an even more attractive invitation with a slight floral extra to the fine minerality. Mobile, silky, but still concentrated – there’s a faint but additive green herb in the middle – complex, rewarding super wine – Bravo villages! the finish broad, with less intensity but sustaining well.
2021 Chablis 1er Fourchaume
A single parcel of 1 ha in Vaupulins. Bottled like the others – This has fermentation in tank and half the elevage in 228-litre barrels – ‘I’d have loved to bottle after 18 months – but the volume this year didn’t support my wishes!’
This nose is more compact and saline but still with some floral suggestions. Extra volume – more open complexity, more golden fruit – open, becoming silky as the small bead of gas fades. The barrel more of a faint spice than anything creamy. Long and satisfying – like the last – in a slowly fading, subtle way with a faint phenolic texture.
2021 Chablis 1er Mont de Milieu
A long-term contract. All tank fermentation and then barrel elevage – 500-litre barrels. This bottled in August.
A more open, wider nose – there’s a fine small vibration of energy in this width – more interesting than the Fourchaume today. Broader, fuller the barrel more visible today but hardly to excess – again a silky wine, supple yet still sinuous. The power of the finish is on a higher level than the more discreet Fourchaume today. This and the Fourchaume are simply excellent wines though – A super range from Thomas in 21 – well done!