Tasted on the border of Chassagne and Santenay, with Benoît Moreau, 21 November 2022.
Domaine Benoît Moreau
5 rue aligoté
Zac du pré fleury
21190 Chassagne-Montrachet
More reports with Domaine Benoît Moreau
Benoît on 2021 and a little on 2022:
“I’m very much the exception around here as I’ve much more wine than last year – but that’s because it’s my first real vintage with my own vines. The frost was sufficiently early that, unlike in 2016, it didn’t really affect the pruning for 22. But I’m also happy with 2022 – I’d describe it as a normal volume vintage – I also loved the quality of the fruit, I think the balance is good. Back to 21s; the domaine wines were racked just before the harvest and since then they have been in tank – I’m thinking possibly in March for the first bottlings.”
The wines…
Bravo to Benoit for his first ‘domaine’ vintage – given that it’s so early in his personal journey, there might even be some wine here to buy 😉
2021 Bourgogne Blanc
All Chassagne vines ‘but the work in the vines is exactly the same as for the grand crus.’
Some golden fruit here but of nice width and clarity. Silky, caressing wine – even a faint grain of tannin. Saline, long so moreish… Yes!
2020 Chassagne-Montrachet
7 parcels mainly from the centre of the village
A bit more of a vibration – aromatically slightly reductive – nobly. Broader, fuller flavour, a broad wave of finishing flavour – not more delicious but more generous than that of the Bourgogne.
Next to Vide Bourse and Criots – the vineyard is quite large. 50-year-old vines, ‘always millerandé’
Deeper, more floral and with more interesting things to find. Supple, generous again, mouth-wateringly delicious, then long with very classy flavour. Potentially bravo villages!
2021 St.Aubin 1er Remilly
This tasted from barrel
Broad, higher toned, more lemon yellow aromatic and slightly floral. More structural wine, faintly grained – fine floral, pure and minera. Lovely wine
2021 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Chenevottes
From barrel
Extra depth to these higher tones. I love this melting flavour; mineral, with a line of intensity but such great texture and mobility of flavour. Delish!
2021 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Maltroie
Another with a faintly noble reduction. Broad, with structural shape but not hard – vibrant and mineral in the finish, then fading for a while before holding, holding…
2021 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Champsgain
A vertical nose but still with some width – forward and floral in the top notes with a touch of creamy barrel. Juicier despite the barrel flavour, with super finishing energy – I love this here.
2021 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Fairendes
‘For me, this is the most limestone part of Morgeot’
Open, floral, pure, a vibration of citrus – no obvious oak. A great nose. Sweetness and a width of flavour that grows further, more mineral, less overt energy than the Maltroie but perhaps longer and always silky!
An eruption of limestone in the middle of their pinot, almost no soil and 65 yo vines – the first time they have been isolated.
Another fine, noble reduction, tighter than those before but no less inviting. In the mouth this is fabulous perhaps a bit more muscular but a style that reminds of Chevalier with a hint less acid freshness – great 1er!
2021 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Grand Ruchottes
Vines planted in 1939
A broader, more floral nose. Hmm – mouth-filling, faintly smoky, mineral, fine citrus with generosity and growing intensity – then floral finoshing again. Long, long, long – delicious again…
From the Pernand side.
A bit more oak paddong to this vibrant width of energy. Ooh, that’s so good, so juicy, and so impressive, the finish is creamily oaked but remains a delicious thing. This will surely be a great wine – wait 5 years for the oak to largely fade.
Les Reds:
The wines from the Beaujolais region are labelled L’Arlesienne, not Benoit Moreau – as this is an exploitation shared with Benoit and a winemaking friend. Not yet certified but all the work is biodynamic:
2021 Morgon Corcelette – Janin
Not half a harvest in 2021 Beaujolais – here 18 hl/ha
Round, open, floral-inflected red fruit. Broad, supple, with super energy in the mouth, very faintly tannic. Then widening and more mineral finishing. That’s a completely delicious wine with a little crunch and some ease to the flavours.
Broader, with plenty of freshness and a hint of pyrazine/gentian flowers. More incisive, really top in the mouth, juicy with fine shape and a, salivating, long finish – bravo!
Next to the previous parcel. There’s more granite here. Malo only just finished.
Broad again, more typically energetic Beaujolais aromas, less floral in this case. Hmm, more fluid in this width of flavour, framed by a faint tannin but so beautifully bubbling with fine, slightly mineral and dark fruit flavour! Yes, again!
2021 Chassagne-Montrachet Vieilles-Vignes
‘I chose to destem and do a long infusion as I was worried I might extract harsh tannins – you have to take care in later haresting vintages in Chassagne.’
Less colour, more smoky barrel impression in these aromas. The smoke of the nose but here are supple flavours, the sucrosity not so high but it’s not easy to follow some great Beaujolais! Then a really tasty and engaging width of flavour in the finish – easy but very tasty wine…
2021 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er La Cardeuse
A fresh width of aroma – growing more height with air. Certainly more depth and complexity here – compelling flavours – and finely mouthwatering too. Almost chalky finishing texture – an excellent wine!