Tasted in Epineuil with Carole Mathias, pictured together with Bastien, 14 May 2024.
Domaine Alain Mathias
D944
89700 Épineuil
Tel: +33 3 86 54 43 90
www.domainealainmathias.fr
Alain Mathias is Carole’s stepfather, the father of Bastien. Alain started in 1982 here and it’s now the next generation that are starting to come through. The address here was originally an old quarry which enabled the building of their cuverie into the hillside.
This is not a family with a long connection to the vine but Alain had worked for a while with Roland Lavantureaux and at this time it was easy to find land here in Epineuil – though not much was planted – so at the same time they rented vines in Chablis – their vineyard surface remains split between here and their Chablis vines in Lignorelles – and since 2017 they have some 1er crus too.
Already organic since 2000, they finally chose to go for certification which they were granted in 2013. Bastien and Carole have been here since 2015 – both after studies in Dijon. Alain is theoretically retired but still likes to drive his tractor. Alain used to like quick fermentations and relatively early bottlings but the new team here have worked on their ‘park’ of barrels and have been using different types of jar (amphoras) since 2017 and chose to make a longer elevage too – of 12-24 months depending on the vintage or cuvée…
The domaine’s main market is France with about 25% of their production being exported – “It’s a domaine with many, many small clients – classed as France – as they take the wine with them but probably go back in their cars to Belgium or the UK !!” It’s 2/3rs white in production here but with more vines in the Tonnerois than in Chablis as there’s plenty of white here too. The domaine covers 12 hectares today but produced a higher proportion of red in the time of Alain. “The reds were once all machine harvested – and that’s still the approach for the young vines – but the rest is all done by hand today.”
The wines…
I really enjoyed my first visit to this domaine. The whites are delicious but if you’re looking for greatness – take a long look at their reds !!
There is also an appellation of Rosé Epineuil – there used to be Epineuil Chardonnay too but that’s now classed as Bourgogne Tonnerre. “2022 was a good clean vintage here with a little less heat than 19 & 20.” All apart from the 1er cru Vau de Vey is now bottled:
2022 Bourgogne Epineuil
All destemmed. This from multiple parcels that have been blended together – there’s a little tank elevage here only because they lacked a few barrels for the quantity that they had.
A pretty depth of aroma, lightly spiced with a darker impression to this spice. This has lovely texture and a nicely direct style – but there’s also depth to this flavour… Sophisticated and delicious.
‘It’s the parcel that makes the difference, steep and south-east facing.’ This all barrel and with some new included.
A much larger and more open nose – there’s much extra perfume here and a little less of the spice. Extra intensity and energy – that’s deep and has a mm of cushion – probably from the modest amount of oak that’s visible in the middle and finishing flavour. The start is wonderful and the finish today with a little extra dark-chocolate bitters that tell me to wait 2 years before drinking. Half a great wine already today – hopefully the complete article with a little patience. ‘The 2015s are tasting very well right now.’
This with amphora elevage, the grapes coming from the Côte de Grisay – the fermentation in the amphora too with a proportion of the stems.
A more compact nose but seemingly classy – you’d choose the previous wine today though. A beautiful first impression as the silky and forward flavour rolls over the palate – a certain fluidity despite plenty of concentration. A complex, beautiful wine – of much flavour depth. Hardly any of the finishing bitters of the last and long finishing too with a modest, ultra-fine, tannin. Beautiful wine – it will just get better over the next 10 years too – bravo!
2022 Bourgogne Epineuil Rosé
“This is a small production for people passing by the domaine and it’s a rosé de presse”
Modest colour, a lightly toasted nose is the first impression. This is fresh and mineral – with super, almost panoramic width. Not a ‘simple’ sweet wine for chilling, here is a depth of flavour that will be very interesting at the table too…
Les Whites:
2022 Bourgogne Tonnerre
All from the Côte de Grisey – this from the young vines with all tank elevage.
A forward width of freshness. Nice in the mouth – a little muscular but with a silky generosity and a juicy finishing impression – all brings balance – finishing with a small herby complexity too.
2022 Bourgogne Tonnerre AVITA
This, like the red, also with amphora elevage ‘which avoids either oak notes or reduction.’
A fine width of aroma – very much in the style of a classy Chablis. This sits well in the mouth – there is density to this flavour but with enough minerality and mouth-watering style to offer balance. A large wave of finishing flavour with nice finishing citrus skin bitters too. Very tasty and it will be even better in 2 years…
2022 Bourgogne Tonnerre Côte de Grisey
More barrel elevage here – ‘a bit less like Chablis’
Here a little faint toast but no ‘obvious’ oak. Fine scale and a more juicy presentation – you have some oak flavour but on a modest scale – in 18 months to 2 years it will be gone – very slowly fading flavour in a very elegant style – ‘we think the 80% oak and the rest with jar elevage brings a very nice harmony to the wine.’
2022 Petit Chablis
Vines in Lignorelles and Villy
Airy and open – that’s got a lovely purity and precision. Mouth-filling and juicy in style there’s plenty of depth to this flavour, finishing clean, though a little shorter than the last of the Tonnerres
2022 Chablis
30% of older barrels and the rest tank elevage.
Not that wide but these are attractive and direct aromatics. Here is extra: cool flavours, more minerality, and more intensity too. Much more width in the middle and finishing flavours – almost a chewy density of finishing flavour here – I find this an excellent villages – I love it!
2021 Chablis 1er Vau de Vey
The 22 still in elevage… Here with ‘eggs’ and barrel elevage, assembled for 6 months in tank before bottling…
Cool aromatics with more depth. Full of energy in the mouth, mildly caramel oak too and holds a super finish – Also excellent – but wait 2 years if you don’t want that caramel oak note – delicious wine !!