Long-Depaquit 2012

27.5.2014billn

DSC03912Tasted in Chablis with Matthieu Mangenot and Laura Schouman, 16 April, 2014.

Domaine Long-Depaquit
45 rue Auxerroise
89800 CHABLIS
Tel. +33 (0)3 86 42 11 13+33 (0)3 86 42 11 13
www.albert-bichot.com

The Domaine of Long-Depaquit was founded by two monks in 1791. The Domaine is today situated in the Château Long-Depaquit, virtually in the heart of Chablis. When I visited their was building-work and cranes to increase the space for vinification; their old cuverie was built in 1991, the new one should be ready for the 2014 vintage.

All the domaine’s 1er and Grand Cru vines are picked by hand and the team plan to do sorting in the new cuverie, where triage was previously at the vine. There is whole bunch pressing and no pumping. Matthieu describes the winemaking as ‘rather traditional’ so places highest emphasis on the grapes and correct picking time. Fermentation is in tank for Chablis and some 1ers – the rest get 8-10 months in (2-3 year-old Vosges) barrels, followed by 6 months in tank.

DIAM seals are used ‘almost’ across the whole range – the new 54mm DIAM 10s from the 1er Crus upwards. Moutonne is still with cork, though Matthieu notes “But that’s more the heart that is deciding – let’s see…”

Matthieu on 2013 yields:
“We saw between 35 and 40% lower yields in 2013 – the Grand Crus were slightly worse affected.”

Matthieu on 2012 yields:
“Our yields were quite low; mainly due to it being very cold during flowering and having rain at the same time – so coulure and millerandes. Still, July and August were very clean so there was almost nothing to triage at harvest.”

It was lovely to compare and contrast the 2012s with their counterparts from 2010 – side-by-side the 12 are clearly younger, yet I have a slight preference for them – close run thing though. Only to note that all of these wines were rather cold – but as shown, they were impossible to fault…

2012 Chablis
A wide, fresh and relatively forward nose that has a slowly growing citrus component. Very fresh with a powerfully growing intensity – oof! Medium.length finish. It’s a bit cold, but really super. Very impressive Chablis.

2012 Chablis 1er Vaillons
About 10% of this was fermented in oak.
More density of aroma – like the base Chablis, there’s a small citrus note too. Of! This is even more mineral than the base wine – mouth-watering and faintly saline. There’s a super line of flavour in the middle too.

2012 Chablis 1er Vaucopins
Here, 15% fermented in oak.
More floral, though the same density of aroma plus growing higher-tones. Round, super-mouth-watering acidity with some sucrosité. Grows again after swallowing. Superb!

2012 Chablis Les Clos
Here, 35% fermented in oak.
Quite complex and faintly creamy aromatic. Round and like the nose super-complex and focused. There’s a roundness that implies it’s not so intense as the 1ers though it has more concentration and much more length. Very long!

2012 Chablis Les Vaudesirs
Here, 25% fermented in oak.
A slightly more open, sweeter nose with precise fruit – it’s a welcoming nose. More direct and less round – it seems more intense than the Clos. The finish has more fruit though less bass notes – but is similarly long. Maybe more complex even. Bravo!
2012 Chablis La Moutonne
Here, 25% fermented in oak.
High-toned with plenty of fresh notes – it seems wider and ever-more complex – possibly less tightly focused though. Clearly more mineral and lithe with a super extra dimension of flavour and only a tiny amount of padding. The finish is equally long but more discrete. Really super!

2010 Chablis Les Clos
The aromas are deep and there’s a little gunflint and beeswax – slowly there’s an extra ripeness and maybe a little toffee developing in the glass. Fresh and ripe, there’s that gunflint note again. Super concentration of flavour. I’d guess Chablis, but probably wouldn’t guess Les Clos – I’d greedily drink it though.

2010 Chablis Les Vaudesirs
This has some similarities to the Clos, perhaps less wide, perhaps rounder but there’s a fainter gunflint note here and that toffee too! It seems fresher and cooler in the mouth – more mineral with a super extra flavour dimension. Joyous in the finish. It leaves a long, understated, mineral note as a calling-card.
2010 Chablis La Moutonne
No gunflint, no toffee – more width and complexity with a slowly growing depth. Again, cool, balanced and with growing intensity. Faintly saline with an extra finishing width before slowly – indeed very slowly – fading. Super!

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