Christian Moreau Père & Fils 2012

Update 28.5.2014(27.5.2014)billn

DSC04408Tasted in Chablis with Christian Moreau, 17 April, 2014.

Domaine Christian Moreau Père & Fils
26 avenue d’Oberwesel
89800 CHABLIS
Tel. +33 (0)3 86 42 8634+33 (0)3 86 42 8634
www.domainechristianmoreau.com

In 1972, after 11 years in Canada, Christian Moreau returned to Chablis with his Canadian wife, Christine,
and their three sons, Philippe, Patrick and Fabien. Helped by his father Guy, Christian began to takeover the winemaking at this family domaine. Fabien – 6th generation of the family is now the winemaker, but had to keep working while we ‘enjoyed ourselves tasting’!

The domaine is currently in the process of converting to Bio. Whilst the domaine has 11.5 hectares, fully 5.5 of those are Grand Cru. Only their Petit Chablis is machine harvested.

Their 2012 Grand Crus were bottled at the end of January, the 2013 1er Crus are now assembled in bulk but will stay there for the next 6 months. The domaine uses up to 30% oak elevage – fermentation and malo – on some wines, but not more than 5% new oak – the rest are 1-4 year barrels.

Christian on 2013:
“It was anywhere between -30% and -40% yields, depending on the location. It is quite difficult as we already had no stock due to low yields on 12 too.”

I found this a very strong line-up of wines. There’s nothing here I wouldn’t want at home – I had to be extra-picky in which wines to suggest a special recommendation. To quote Christian, “We are looking also for finesse and elegance, to go with the ‘line.'”

2012 Chablis
From a single parcel.
Wide and fresh with some ripeness on the nose too. Round, very gourmand, growing intensity and whilst not super-energetic there’s plenty of extract towards the finish. Very tasty¨!

2012 Chablis 1er Vaillons
The vines average over 50 years-old here but “Why bother with VV – there is no regulation!”
Just a hint of reduction. Again this is very tasty and mouth-watering. Some sweetness and lovely length.

2012 Chablis 1er Vaillons Cuvée Guy Moreau
Guy, the father of Christian. From vines planted in 1933 – 45% of the elevage was in barrel.
There’s real depth to the nose and just a few oak references too. Lovely, lovely concentration and sweetly mouth-watering flavours that keep growing after you swallow. Excellent length, bravo wine!

2012 Chablis Vaudesir
Again there’s good aromatic depth – similar to the Guy Moreau cuvée. More mineral and more intense, this is absolutely super – yet retains some elegance.

2012 Chablis Blanchots
A characteristic note of oak but coupled to freshness and depth too. A little more discretion in the flavour here but with a tighter, more mineral core of flavour and minerality. A super width of flavour in the finish. Very, very good!

2012 Chablis Valmur
Theres a little more of a floral dimension to the nose, floating above the minerality and faint oak – a little citrus too. Lovely energy, complexity and growing intensity. Really a special wine!

2012 Chablis Les Clos
Here the nose is quite modest and the oak component is on a much lower level. Wide, but with density as well as energy. Not super mouth-watering but there is super minerality which offers quite enough balance. Very, very long finishing!

2012 Chablis Les Clos des Hospices Monopole
Planted by the great-grandfather in 1904. Here are 0.5 hectares of vines that are planted perpendicular to the rest of the clos. These vines are cared for together with domaine Louis Moreau.
The oak is more visible again but, as always, in a friendly creamy manner. I find much more energy here versus the other bottling of Les Clos. Minerality and salinity in the flavour. Really great length too.

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