Domaine du Chardonnay – 2012

Update 23.1.2020(27.5.2014)billn

DSC03825Tasted in Chablis with Etienne Boileau, 14 April, 2014.

Domaine du Chardonnay
Moulin du Pâtis
89800 CHABLIS
Tel. +33 (0)3 86 42 48 03+33 (0)3 86 42 48 03
www.domaine-du-chardonnay.fr

Domaine du Chardonnay is in a pretty location by the Serein river, just outside the centre of Chablis. It is the effective combination of 3 domaines and runs to 38 hectares of vineyards vinified in this location. Normally about 200-270k bottles are commercialised. and the remainder of their wine is sold in bulk. 25% of production is Petit Chablis, 50% AOC Chablis and 25% Chablis 1er Crus. The wines are sometimes sold under more than one label.

Grapes are harvested by machine and then go through two large pneumatic presses into fibre-glass tanks for settling and then temperature-controlled stainless-steel for the fermentations. They also cool these tanks to help precipitate tartrates, ‘but never go negative.’ For the 1er Crus, about 25% of each cuvée sees elevage in older (6-7 years) oak. Etienne notes “This is more for micro-oxygenation than flavour.” Synthetic ‘corks’ are used on some half bottles, ‘normal’ cork for the rest, but 49mm length. France is the major market with 50-60% of sales.

I had only one complaint with the tasting at this domaine – the tasting glasses were too small. That said, the wines showed well, if not to their potential.

2012 Petit Chablis
From a big parcel south of Chablis and another above Preuses.
The nose is modest but clean with a few herbs and quite good definition. The palate is wide and slightly textured. There’s a good intensity which grows in the mouth – good flavour too.
2012 Chablis
Like the Petit Chablis, it’s a modest aromatic – I blame the small tasting glasses. In the mouth it’s round, indeed it starts a little soft but there’s real drive from the core and a growing fresh intensity. There’s a little ‘pop’ of flavour in the mid-palate too as you head into the finish. A little dry extract too. Very tasty!

2012 Chablis 1er Montmains
Also in stainless-steel.
Another modest nose, but with a clear extra depth. In the mouth there’s a little more cold steel to the flavour. A little longer finish, that’s faintly stony. Lovely!

2012 Chablis 1er Monté de Tonnerre
Fresher and virtually no oak references. Rounder. The steel flavour has a hint of padding here – but it’s steel all the same. Very understated finish.

2011 Chablis 1er Vaillons
A pyrazine-type note. Nice, lithe, fresh acidity. The pyrazine note is in the mouth too but more vegetal, like asparagus. But there’s other lovely flavours in the mid-palate. Not massively concentrated but the last notes are tasty all the same

2011 Chablis 1er Monté de Milieu
More concentrated aromas, a little more ripeness and little pyrazine/herbacousness too. Fresher and denser flavours than the 11 Vaillons. A lovely core of flavour and rather mineral waves. From some aspects a little understated, from others super. Still, Yum!

2009 Chablis 1er Vosgros
From a steep circle of vines in Chichée.
Concentrated and intense – a hint of salt too. This wine is a little padded but with lovely flavour that is cold as steel despite the ripeness of the vintage. Mineral and super!

Agree? Disagree? Anything you'd like to add?

There is one response to “Domaine du Chardonnay – 2012”

  1. Howard hilton15th April 2017 at 7:52 amPermalinkReply

    I had a bottle to night which I thought oxidized. tends to put you off taking the flavour too seriously

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