Bibendum Wine Co.
Bibendum Wine Co.
Bibendum Wine Co.
Bibendum Wine Co.

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Moreau-Naudet

Good Vibrations—2022 (Part One) from “One of Chablis’s Finest Estates”
Moreau-Naudet
It’s been wonderful to see what Virginie has achieved with this estate since the sudden passing of her husband, Stéphane, in 2016. At that time, many wondered if it would be the end for Moreau-Naudet. What she has achieved has been nothing short of heroic. Visiting the region late last year, we heard praise from several local restaurateurs and producers for her incredible resilience, wines and commitment to the vineyards. We tasted through the range of wonderful ’22s with Virginie and her daughter, Nell. Every wine delivered the quality and style that any follower of this domaine would expect from an outstanding vintage. This is Chablis full of silky, mid-palate texture, chiselled structures and no lack of what Christine Canterbury MW has called “Kimmeridgian tug”. This was simply an outstanding Burgundian-style year for Virginie and her team—and it is one of the most impressive releases we have shipped.

The Wines

Domaine Moreau-Naudet Petit Chablis 2022

Domaine Moreau-Naudet Petit Chablis 2022

Diam. Not all Petit Chablis is created equal! Moreau’s Petit Chablis comes from a single 2.5-hectare site between Courgis and Beine, just outside Chablis on the route to Auxerre. It has a southwest orientation and lies on Kimmeridgian soils (as opposed to the higher Portlandian soils on which most Petit is grown). Half of the plot is home to 25- to 30-year-old vines, while the other half is somewhat older at 45 to 50. The wine ferments spontaneously in large vats of 32 to 100 hectolitres. This really has some gravitas and charisma for a Petit Chablis. Indeed, we’d go as far as to say that this release is not overshadowed by the Chablis proper. It’s immediately enticing, with golden kiwi and creamy pear fruit flecked by zingy sherbet and iodine notes. The palate is as seamless as you like, offering delicious puppy-fat succulence and vibrant clarity before finishing with palate-scraping freshness and chalky nuance. This is seriously classy.

Domaine Moreau-Naudet Petit Chablis 2022
Domaine Moreau-Naudet Chablis 2022

Domaine Moreau-Naudet Chablis 2022

Diam. Moreau’s village Chablis is drawn chiefly from 20- to 30-year-old vineyards in Préhy and Courgis, both south of Chablis. Then, there are parcels in Chablis and Chichée (under the Premier Cru vines of Vaugiraut/Vosgros). All up, the domaine works with 30 parcels scattered across the appellation, representing a variety of soil structures and exposures. All the fruit from the younger vines is sold off in bulk, lifting the general standard.

The fruit is pressed gently over four hours and ferments with natural yeasts (still a rarity in Chablis). It is raised mainly in the tank, and the maturation is unhurried. The wine then spends 20 months on lees, considerably longer than most Chablis of this level. These traditional methods—along with hand-harvesting, the quality of the terroir, the low yields and the ripeness—help explain the mouthcoating texture, salty depths and overall quality

Tasted next to the Petit Chablis, there are more lifted aromatics of ripe nectarine and citrus blossom, leading to a mouthwatering, seamless palate of tugging mid-palate texture, pristine orchard and kernel fruit, and a kick of saltiness. There’s even a touch of ripe grapefruit and clementine. The rocky close lingers with a mineral vibration you don’t want to end.

Domaine Moreau-Naudet Chablis 2022

“This is one of Chablis’s finest estates … Virginie Moreau presides over this leading domaine, where the order of the day is organic (but not certified) farming; harvesting ripe but clean fruit, cropped at modest yields; and extended maturation on the lees. Concentrated, textural wines that are some of the most characterful to be found in Chablis are the result...” William Kelley, The Wine Advocate

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