Christian Moreau – some 2015, some 2014…

31.10.2016billn

dsc01561Tasted in Chablis with Fabien Moreau, 24 October 2016.

Domaine Christian Moreau Père & Fils
26 avenue d’Oberwesel
89800 Chablis
Tel: +33 3 86 42 86 34
www.domainechristianmoreau.com

Christian was also present, but as he’d just flown back from NY, he was less bright-eyed and bushy-tailed – so Fabian was allowed to take centre-stage!

Fabien on 2016:
We harvested almost nothing from our Chablis villages on 2016 – and that’s from 6 hectares. Our last real full vintage was 2011; 2012 was not bad, but the yields have been low since. The mildew was like in the books this year – most people stopped organics to cope, only 1 organic producer remained in the grand crus in 2016. It was a well time harvest too – only 2 days after we finished harvesting, we had a frost! Still, it was good for getting rid of most of the fruit flies!

Fabien on 2015:
“2015 started earlier than expected! 4-5 days early was the hail in Clos and Blanchots – the Vaillons valley was hardly touched – Blanchots was bad as was the Clos des Hospices. We began our harvest 48 hours later – then we stopped for 4 days, waiting for the vines that hadn’t been hailed. Vaillons’ grapes almost doubled in size after the rain, the acidity went down but it was beneficial for ripening. The parcels were very heterogeneous this year. Overall, less acidity in 15 vs 14.”

The wines…

2015 Chablis
A little has already been bottled, the next bottling will be in November.
A fresh and pretty nose with a hint of agrume reduction – only stainless-steel elevage for this cuvée. Quite round, but with a mouth-watering tastiness. Yum!

2015 Chablis 1er Vaillons
This was bottled in mid-September, just before the harvest. 35% oak fermented, though only 3-4% new barrels. The domaine has 6 parcels in Vaillons, this a blend of 5 with a 48 year-old average vine-age.
More grapefruit and freshness to the nose, a hint of citrus too. More than a hint of citrus in the flavour. A steely wine – rather than a metallic wine. Lovely flavours here… clean and wide finish with a faint oak structure too which will probably be gone in 3-6 months. Yum!

The following sampled from tank:

2015 Chablis Valmur
50% fermented in barrel, then reassembled with the wine in tank.
A concentrated herb and some citrus. Here has lovely muscle, intensity of flavours, concentrated citrus fruit, and a modest salinity. Nicely mineral finish too. Lots to look forward to I think.

2015 Chablis Les Clos
Half of this cuvée is bottled with DIAM seals, all of Vaillons was with DIAM. For the Clos des Hospices they pay extra for cork but every cork is individually tested before delivery. ‘DIAM is not neutral as there is some reduction so you have to change your approach a little. Diam took 60% of Chablis market in 10 years…’
A fresher, more energetic nose, (this will be bottled about January). A hint more CO2 but also with more energy and complexity. Points of minerality. Really a strong mineral finish. Super.

2014 Chablis 1er Vaillons cuvée Guy Moreau
The 6th of their parcels in Vaillons.
Deep, complex, smooth – a faint oak, but a wine aroma to fall into. Oof – citrus, gorgeous acidity and silk and mouth-watering brilliance!
2014 Chablis Les Clos
Vines in the bottom, middle and top, but not quite to the trees. Three different harvests are made. 36 year-old vines at the bottom, 67 in the middle and 57 the top.
Compact, tight nose but hinting at a lot of depth. Wow – big, round, gorgeous intensity, and a fabulous burst of finishing flavour. Top wine!
2014 Chablis Les Clos Clos des Hospices
Bought in 1904 from hospices, sitting at the bottom of the slope.
Super bright mineral, citrus and agrume. Fuller, rounder but with fabulous intense line of gorgeous flavour, very faintly saline. Richer but with really super line of flavour.

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

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