Tasted in Jullié with Jérémy Bally, 19 February 2018.
Domaine du Bois du Chat – Jérémy Bally
Les Bois de Chat
69840 Jullié
Tel: +33 6 63 49 24 35
www.domaineduboisdechat.com
Jérémy on 2017:
“2017 – super! Good climate, no hail or frost. It was a very clean vintage though with some drought in August but fortunately we saw some rain to re-equilibriate the vines before the harvest. On the schist we have cooler terroirs so there were no dried grapes here. The maturity was blocked before the rain so apart from the Moulin à Vent with 20/ha, it was a normal volume harvest, but here that means 40 hl/ha. ”
Jérémy on 2016:
“2016 was my first vintage for Moulin à Vent, and yes we had some hail there, but there was more in 2017. 2016 started with hard work under the rain, then mildew on top – it was really not until July that it stopped – really much work in the vines and it was really hard to work the soil as it was so wet. Then there was the iniquity of hail – more than once! But at the end of July we had sun, and it lasted really up until the harvest. I did lose some harvest, a little from the hail, but more from the mildew which probably ate 10-15% of our harvest. My rendement was about 32 hectolitres per hectare, so I lost about 15-20%, but I think the wines have good potential, a little like 2014 structurally but with more finesse – possibly superior, but lets see, it’s a little lighter vintage but also a very aromatic one.
“I’m just starting to commercialise the 2016s – they were bottled after 8 months but I like to ensure some level of readiness before bottling.”
The wines…
Year-in, year-out, one of the best labels that I taste.
As each year that I visit, here is a beautiful, silky, pure fruited nose – just so inviting. Good volume, freshness of fruit and lots of energy. This year I wouldn’t dive straight in as there is a little structural rigour, but it’s an open and pure-fruited wine of very fine clarity – a beauty. A really persistent finish too, in fact quite mineral finishing…
80 year-old vines in the commune of Chénas on granite. This and the last were half destemmed. This with 60% barrel elevage.
Like the last with a little more concentration – simply a great nose – opening with a forward floral perfume – gorgeous – with a vibrant depth too. Wide, a little more depth of flavour, layered, concentrated but beautifully open – great wine! The rigour of the first wine is only hinted at here – but you should still wait.