Tasted in Chablis with Vincent Tremblay, 30 January 2024.
Domaine Gérard Tremblay
12 Rue de Poinchy
89800 Chablis
Tel: +33 3 86 42 40 98
www.chablis-tremblay.com
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There was a commotion when I visited – some of the emplyees looked concerned – Valentin wanted feeding.
Valentin is Vincent’s goose !! 🙂
Vincent on 2023:
“Yes I’m happy with 2023 – as you will see, I already have some Petit Chablis in bottle. It was a good harvest with both volume and quality. Maybe the wines were a little fragile in the cuverie. I think the wines are tasting very well now – I’m already presenting the wine and everyone seems to love it.”
Vincent on 2022:
“There was the famous worry of frost but I refused to protect the vines in March – though I would in May! Fortunately, there was no frost in May!”
The wines…
As each year Vincent has fashioned a range of completely delicious wines – some are worth searching out!
We started with an early look at a 2023 – in bottle:
2023 Petit Chablis
Mainly vines near the 1er cru of Beauroy on a Portlandian base.
A smaller nose than many 22s today but with freshness and perfume. Hmm – there is depth and concentration to this wine and a ripe core of citrus but with a little shade to lime – which you don’t see much of in 22. The finish impresses with its persistence. A wine of fruit more than place today – which I said of some early bottled 2022s at the same time last year – but they are coming around well – so probably this will too!
2022 Petit Chablis
More direct, fine freshness and less overt fruit aromas. Direct, a modest suppleness, juicy – more overtly citrus and direct – much more my style of wine – again with concentrated flavour at the base. Hmm – gorgeously juicy finishing – a great finish. What an excellent wine.
2022 Chablis
There’s 20 ha of Chablis here – parents, Gérard and Hélène, bought in the 1970s. Vines at the bottom of Fourchaume and Beauroy, principally in the area of Beines.
An airy width – extra width vs the PC – accented with salinity. Larger scale in the mouth and showing more mineral in character. Direct, almost a hint of aniseed or is it a darker, a licorice(?) in the finish. Lovely, ever-so slowly finishing flavour.
2022 Chablis Vieilles-Vignes
Vines over 40 years old – but dotted around the place so not usually one parcel.
A little extra width and aromatic energy – nice. Cool, quite broad, more overtly mineral. A suppleness to this texture, finishing with a vibrancy of flavour – more citrus energy here – again touching on a little aniseed. Fading beautifully – lovely wine again.
2022 Chablis 1er Beauroy
A single parcel on the hill of Troesmes, replanted at the start of the 2000s. Just recently bottled a ‘little’ barrel elevage here – 10-15%
Hmm – airy and in this case more floral aromas. Direct, more intense, clearly extra visibility to this minerality. Obviously accented with salinity too. This is a beauty but will need 2-3 years to fill out a bit – but I love it!
2022 Chablis 1er Côte de Lechets
3 ha spread over 4 parcels.
A more overtly perfumed nose. Really broad, really mineral – a touch less sucrosity here but with super middle and finishing clarity to these mouth-watering flavours – just a little more yellow-citrus energy – complex and delicate but with a proper structure. This could be more than excellent if you are patient!
2022 Chablis 1er Montmain
Two parces in Montmain proper
Also some floral perfume in this width of aroma. Clean, cool width of flavour – more forward salinity here. Slowly melting and becoming more accommodating. Long, orange flesh flavours, super wine.
2022 Chablis 1er Fourchaume
5 ha of this in 7 parcels – much from Vincent’s grandparents who originated from La Chapelle – half a hectare is in Homme Mort but the rest in Fourchaume proper.
The yellow-fruited vibrancy of Fourchaume. Large-scale – really a mouth-filling wine. This is energetic and quite complex. The width in the finish more mineral than citrus. That’s excellent Fourchaume – well done!
Planted in 1951 by grandfather, half a hectare, right in the centre of Fourchaume
Hmm – that’s a fine width of aroma, faintly cushioned and more overtly expressive and inviting – it’s less about the fruit here. Fresh, vibrant – complex and saline – the previous was long finishing but here is even more flavour energy – pure and direct, almost linear in this finish of fine clarity – bravo!
0.62 ha – Part barrel elevage.
That’s a fine and silky nose – less breadth than the 22s – but ultra-silky. Hmm – but here is extra in all dimensions – the architecture of the wine and the concentration but never heavy due to its mouth-watering, almost juicy flavour. A finish of elegance but grand cru length. That’s a great wine – simply excellent grand cru
And for the road:
2021 Chablis Cuvée Helene
A nose filled with the extra breadth and complexity of the barrel elevage. Yet in the mouth – more linear, finely concentrated – it’s an ultra mineral and mobile flavour. The barrel is strong here and will take all of 3 years to disappear into the background. What starts linear finishes broad over the palate and holds really well – even after a super grand cru!