Tasted in Ligny-le-Châtel with Jérôme & Xavier Garnier, 08 March 2023.
Domaine Garnier & Fils
Chemin de Méré
89144 Ligny-le-Châtel
Tel: + 33 3 86 47 42 12
www.chablis-garnier.com
More reports with Domaine Garnier & Fils
Jérôme on 2022:
“We didn’t make our plan – but nearly – we’re happy to accept 50 hl/ha. In some areas the acidity was a little low, the fermentations often slow – maybe because of that acidity – otherwise no problems. We will bring forward the bottling a little due to a general lack of wine – but that still means in many months as our 21s are largely not yet bottled. Like 2015, very interesting, we had some stopped fermentations with 2-5g of sugar but instead of acetic bacteria taking up the remaining sugar it was lactic bacteria. Some wines ended up with more lactic acid than we usually see.”
Jérôme on 2021:
“I think it was probably lucky that we had a lower volume- for the quality – as to ripen some extra volume may have been a challenge. We managed to produce about 33 hl/ha, so that was slightly better than the average for the region and much better than some colleagues, so we are not complaining! The last vintages have averaged 13.3° though we have 12-12.5° in 2021 but with so much more energy in the wines – acidity too for sure. We don’t look to sell absolutely everything that we can but clearly, all is reserved from 21 – but luckily in the last years we moved on a year so at the moment, it’s the 20s that are commercial here, but clearly in July to October coming, we won’t have much to sell. We will bottle a little more for ourselves from the 22s – maybe a quarter plus – to bring us back level.”
The wines…
Another vintage, another absolute pleasure to taste – multiple cuvées worth a special search – the wood elevage is visible but not frank – 2-3 years of patience will largely remove that aspect.
There’s a mix of DIAM and Nomacorc, for all the rest it’s Trescases cork, the grand crus sealed with NDtec corks:
2021 L’instant, Melon
‘The last vintage for this – we never managed more than 35 hl/ha over the last 6 years and for the price-point – just under €6 – plus 1 hour in the car to get there to manage the vines – we decided we couldn’t make it work – but a local young vigneron is going to give it a go. Frost and hail here in 2021 too – a hint less perhaps – the orientation is better against the frost – but not much better weather in 21 than Chablis. Only bottled in December after 14-15 months elevage’
A slowly growing depth of aroma – adding a little energy to the yellow citrus with air. Mouth-filling, clean, lots of depth an even some minerality too – I like the energy of this wine.
2021 Petit Chablis
Also debuting a slightly tight nose – slowly bringing some fine minerality into focus. Mouth-filling, deliciously citrus fruited with just a nice suggestion of generosity. Lovely finishing flavour – really lovely wine.
The largest part of the production, an assembly of all the parcels – about 19 hectares. This the second, and last, bottling – January this year. 30% foudre elevage.
Here are more open aromas. A nice , more obviously direct style, melting flavour over the palate, slowly gaining in intensity – ooh – texturally lovely – a vibration of finishing flavour too – a beautiful villages – bravo!
All 1er and GCs here are long-term contracts – there’s not much volume – and they are planned for bottling early in May:
7th vintage. Work with 2 vignerons, Troesmes and Côte de Savant – foudre and large-format barrels
Wow – vs the previous wines that’s an explosive nose – energy and tons of attractive complexity – yes! The subtle creaminess of the barrel is present but this hold a large scale in the mouth – big wine but accessible and never heavy – that’s a potentially great Beauroy! Keep 2 years for the barrel to fade more.
A new cuvée – no-longer Côte de Jouen here – this is the replacement, bought as grapes and all organic too.
A nose more closer to the Beauroy in size than the other wines – a little creamy oak to but still good. Hmm – that’s just so vibrant – a dynamic wine – growing in extra juicy intensity – only the oak is holding this back from greatness today! Not the modest austerity of the Beauroy.
From two vignerons with vines in Homme Mort.
More mineral and a little less energetic today. Also a super energy and bubbling style – wider, also intense, more mineral – but still a joy. Nearly an austerity but not. Bravo! The oak is present but less visible than the previous 1ers.
2021 Chablis 1er Mont de Milieu
This acquired only in must – but it’s been this way for almost 18 years from this contract.
Not the most open nose but a clarity of clean and mineral aromatics. The gas shows more and the shape of this starts more modestly vs the others but grows larger and larger in the mouth. I really love the depth and texture of this wine. Very long, wide, more saline – another super wine – but like all wait 2+ years for the effect of the barrels to fade.
No Vaudesir this vintage – 2007 was the last time they missed this wine…
This the only wine with elevage in 228-litre barrels
An effervescent freshness to this nose – I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s gassy. There’s a presence here – broad, mineral, like an iceberg! – hinting at massive extra depth depsite the overt accessibility. This will be a top wine.