Tasted 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.
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.
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!
There is one response to “Domaine du Chardonnay – 2012”
I had a bottle to night which I thought oxidized. tends to put you off taking the flavour too seriously