Tasted today with a virtual connection to the winemaker of J.Moreau & Fils, Lucie Depuydt.

J.Moreau are one of the most export-oriented labels of the JC Boisset group of Nuits St.Georges, because of that, this label is much less well known in France than their export markets. Here was a chance to catch up with Lucie and some early-bottled 2020s and a couple of later-bottled 2019s.

This producer makes wine from 250 hectares on contracts from all around the Chablis region. Lucie says that she has a slight preference for the southern side like Chichée and Courgis but that, amongst other, Béru and La Chapelle de Vaupelteigne also bring nice aspects to the quality of their wines. “We have about 30 partner vignerons on long contracts – we really do consider each other as partners and each of those producers brings with them the histories of their parcels.

“We press the largest part of the grapes ourselves but some from Courgis and Beru, for instance, all come as must as that’s the easiest way for those suppliers… We try to keep the maximum amount of sediments during our elevage, not just because it helps against oxidation but because I also like the extra richness that the lees can bring. Our fermentations are initiated with a ‘pied de cuve’ which are of course the local yeasts. I think the extended contact with the lees and keeping the lees in suspension does is really important and it doesn’t have to be the same as the mechanical process of batonnage. The extra protection afforded by the lees coupled with the full malolactic fermentation brings very good stability to the finished wine too.”

The Chablis and Petit Chablis are made in stainless steel with an elevage of 6-10 months, vintage dependent. The crus, some part can be with barrel elevage with various barrel sizes from 228 to 500-litre for 14-18 months – so relatively long. So all four wines tasted below were bottled at roughly the same time, despite there being two different vintages represented. The first two wines utilise the new version of Nomacorc and the team here are very happy with the performance, to date. It’s cork for the 1er and grand cru wines.

I also asked Lucie about this year’s 2021 vintage so far:
“Well, we have perfect weather for both oïdium and mildew as, so far, it’s been a wet vintage and this weather, of course, follows on from the frost of April. We are waiting for a period of dry weather that will help rid us of the mildew, if, probably, not completely the oïdium.”

The wines…

A few words from Lucie on these vintages too?
“2019 was quite a low volume vintage so these are concentrated wines whose aromas remind me of 2009 – actually I thought them a little meagre and lacking personality early in the elevage but they have really grown into a proper Chablis personality. For a time during the 2020 vintage, because of the heat, there was some blocking of maturitis so the wines are more intermediate in the style of their maturity.”

2020 Petit Chablis Les Petits Dieux
Was bottled in April – a large market is Scandinavia
Pale yellow. A nicely pure agrume nose. Wide, mouth-filling, mouth-watering with citrus style – there’s weight but also plenty of minerality that keeps the freshness. This is drinking excellently already and the finish is surprisingly long. Super…

2020 Chablis Gloire de Chablis
A May-June bottling. This the result of more than 80 parcels of vines.
Just a little more colour. The nose is rounder and concentrated but less fully open than the PC. More direct and higher-toned flavour. Great shape and juicy style – a more grapefruit style to this wine – perhaps with a faint floral/pyrazine top note. Wider finishing and just a little longer finishing. Nicely textured too. That’s a fine villages.

2019 Chablis 1er Vaucoupin
‘One of my favourite 1ers with a strong personality,’ says Lucie. ‘It’s amazing that there are vines here as there is practically no soil – just rocks but these are also old vine.’ This only in bottle for 2 months.
A width of sweeter aroma, faintly oak and acacia spiced. A mix of richness and minerality – direct in style but with no lack of width. Extra finishing growth of flavour – that’s a wine that impressively grows in presence in the finish. Still keep it back a couple of years as I sense (more than really taste) the barrel. Wait 2-3 years for this impression of the elevage to fade.

2019 Chablis Les Clos
Two parcels – both mid-slope – ‘an intermediate’ soil for the cru – these vines usually harvested early as the maturity comes quickly here. This was bottled this year at the end of April.
A larger nose, plump but not fat, ripe but not too much – a melange of fruits – this is really a wine of mouth-filling volume. Comfortably textured, round – almost too easy flavoured – but the finish is a big one, a little creamy and ripe – far too easy to drink today, but I’d keep this in the cellar for some time hoping for a little extra ‘strict’ in the style.

2019 Château Bellevue, Morgon Côte du Py
I didn’t like the smell of the cork and for the first hour, I also didn’t like the smell of this wine – all herby and reductive – I blamed the cork thought it wasn’t ‘corked.’ Fortunately with aeration it took on another dimension – just as well, as this was one of my recommendations from the vintage, such that I bought a case myself!
The nose finally cleans up to offer a silky, almost glossy, dark fruit with a growing level of floral perfume. Open and fresh – a vibrant energy though with plenty of concentration too. The finish is brilliantly layered yet fresh – wine of uncommon purity. Now I see why I liked it so much before it was bottled.
Rebuy – Yes – and for half the price of some Bourgognes too…

2018 Gueguen, Côteaux Bourguignone, Sacy
Good but not great – unless you factor in the price – then I’d say simply excellent!
The nose is airy and saline with a decent punch. The palate likewise – a very saline wine but in a positive way – blended with a grapefruit fruit – this combination is classic Sacy. Missing the cut and extra energy of the 2017 version but the saline grapefruit style is classic and still a great buy at the price.
Rebuy – Maybe

2005 Marchand-Grillot, Gevery-Chambertin 1er Les Perrières
Here the nose still has traces, reminiscences, of the creamy oak of its youth – but now it has faded into an impressive complexity – faintly with a leafy maturity, blood and earth – this is a proper Gevery-Chambertin! Concentrated, beautifully textured and like the nose showcasing a purity of fruit that’s framed with more earthy and still faintly creamy flavours. The last glass on day 2 had a trace of brett but I noticed none on day one – so don’t hesitate to drink this up on the day you open it – it’s really more than excellent!
Rebuy – Yes

Then a short pause to open something new:

2013 Françous Gaunoux, Meursault 1er Goutte d’Or
I am a very big fan of 2013 whites right now and here is a perfect example of that…
Whilst not overtly ginger-spiced, there’s a very fine and inviting – citrus-tinged – invitation to drink here. In the mouth we have an open, almost airy wine with lovely acidity – it reminds me of a 2010 in its open, accessible style with fine flavour clarity. It’s a simple measure of the quality – but this bottle emptied so quickly! One of the nicest whites this year!
Rebuy – Yes

2006 Mugneret-Gibourg, Bourgogne
Unlike the rather white (bleached?) corks of the Marchand-Grillot and the Gaunoux, here is a darker, seemingly less treated cork.
Untreated, but is it corked? My first sniff might suggest ‘lightly corked’ or ‘liégeux’ but thereafter I can’t smell it – only the suspiciously herby accent to the aromas. In the mouth, yes it’s corked but on a very low level. The texture and flavours are still rather good for the label – and I would say the wine is completely ‘ready’ – but once you taste the cork, you can’t lose it…
Rebuy – No – at least, not in the case of this corked bottle…

Note to self – must slow down with the Trapets – a case of 6 2016 Riesling Beblenheim purchased last week – already two bottles waiting for recycling!

2005 Lejeune, Bourgogne
A case of these bought on release – I was stimulated to buy due to their unusual 50cl size. Concentration was never an issue here but they took their time to open up – I’d say that they are absolutely ready now – and delicious too – luckily a bit more than half of the (12!) case remains…
Ooh – now that’s a nose! Concentrated, faintly with a small sous-bois, some suggestions of well-matured whole-cluster vinification and, overall, a really great, nicely maturing invitation to drink. There’s now an energy and clarity to these flavours that was hidden in the first years when released. Mouth-filling, concentrated, nicely textured and with a finish that expands and deepens in a way that’s typically incompatible with a Bourgogne label – the excellence of the vintage gave me the confidence to buy – and that confidence has been rewarded – such great wine for the label – bravo!
Rebuy – Yes

Plus a couple from the previous week(end) that I didn’t yet get around to posting:

2014 Verret, Chablis 1er Beauroy l’Ame du Domaine
Hmm, now that’s a proper Chablis nose – iodine and salty-seashore minerality – with a twist of citrus! The flavour comes in fresh, delicious waves – that a relatively little-known maker of Chablis (in Saint-Bris) has such a super wine here simply emphasises that I didn’t buy enough Chablis from 2014 – silly me. Super wine.
Rebuy – Yes

2019 Perrot-Minot, Chapelle-Chambertin
The aromas here starting deep, concentrated – pure – though a little tight. Beautifully shape in the mouth – but rather tight to start – like the nose. With aeration there is more depth and width to the aromas – the fruit here is now so vivid. In the mouth, there is more width and an impression of more energy too. Such a delicious wine. Ignoring the cost of such a bottle (if you can) gorgeous drinking, even at this age.
Rebuy – Yes