Régisseur Didier Séguier describes 2008 as one where “Chablis did not have the same difficult conditions as the rest of Burgundy and thus had a very different growing season with healthier fruit. There were definite weather swings however as we were using our heaters in the vineyards in mid-April though we were lucky that the frost did no real damage. The flowering extended over two weeks and began around the first of June. We had less precipitation in July and August than in the Côte d’Or and with good weather in September, maturities were excellent with almost no disease pressure. We started to bring in fruit on the 25th of September and sugars were in the 12 to 13% range, which for Chablis is excellent. Acidities were also very strong with high levels of malic acid, which I attribute to the cool summer temperatures. [Séguier noted that the post-malo pHs were between 3.05 and 3.25, which is low without being aggressive]. While it’s still very early, I am impressed by the material that the wines have which is supported by the firm acidity. To me, this all but confirms that they will age extremely well. The wines are classic in style with a bit more flesh than the ‘07s, which are also excellent. Still, between the two, the ‘08s will probably have somewhat broader appeal as the extra mid-palate fat should allow them to be more approachable younger. Moreover, both vintages should please purists.
Note: there is also a Fèvre négociant operation but all of the ‘08s reviewed here, with the exception of the Chablis–Champs Royaux, Mont de Milieu, Montmains and Grenouilles, are from domaine fruit. All of the in-bottle ’07 reviews below are domaine wines. The négoce side of the house also issues the 7th grand cru, Blanchots, which it buys in as fruit and then controls the entire production process from that point though that wine was not presented during my visit. Three other points bear mentioning: all of the upper level wines see 100% oak but none of it is new; two, there is no lees stirring ever, a policy that was stopped in 1998 and; three, all of the premiers crus are now bottled with composite Diam corks.
2008 Chablis – Champs Royaux: (a négociant wine). A very fresh nose that smells of the sea with green fruit and saline notes that continue onto the pure, round, forward and delicious flavors that lack a bit of depth but this is still an attractive effort. 87/2010+
2008 Chablis: (from domaine fruit). A slightly riper nose features notes of mineral reduction, seaweed and green fruit where the minerality is also picked up by the detailed, pure and intense medium-bodied flavors that possess good mid-palate density and solid length on the balanced finish. While not truly special, there is just more here than with the Champs Royaux. 88/2011+
2008 Chablis “Beauroy”: (from Troëmes). The coolness of the 2008 vintage definitely shows with this wine, which is typically ripe to the point of tropicality but that is not the case here. The nose displays more obvious Chablis character than is typical with rich, round and generous medium-bodied flavors that are also finer than usual, all wrapped in a lingering if not overly complex finish. A generous wine but one of quality. (88-91)/2012+
2008 Chablis “Montmains”: (a négociant wine). An expressive and highly floral nose that is subtly layered introduces detailed, vibrant and easy to like flavors that are round and forward yet tighten up into an almost linear finish. I would have expected this to display a bit more depth though perhaps it will come in time. For the moment though, it is not in the league of the domaine version. (87-89)/2012+
2008 Chablis “Montmains”: (a domaine wine from Forêt, Butteaux and Montmains proper in roughly equal amounts). Here the nose is similar yet notably more complex with buckets of mineral reduction adding nuance to the lightly spiced floral aromas that complement the sappy, detailed and graceful middle weight flavors that ooze Chablis character on the attractively lingering finish. A lovely and understated wine of finesse. (89-91)/2012+
2008 Chablis “Les Lys”: A classic Les Lys is always about elegance and refinement and that is certainly the case in 2008 with the refined, pure and airy nose of citrus, sea breeze and white flower aromas that are followed by precise and cuts-like-aknife flavors that culminate in a crisp and equally pure finish. This is also an understated effort that offers excellent balance and an overall sense of harmony. Worth a look. (90-92)/2013+
2008 Chablis “Mont de Milieu”: (from a purchase of grapes that Fèvre harvests). Exotic fruit aromas mixed with grapefruit and warm stone notes leads to oyster shell suffused flavors that are utterly delicious, round, intense and mineral-laden and unlike several of the other négociant wines in the range that suffered a lack of overall depth, that is not the case here. In a word, impressive juice. (90-93)/2014+
2008 Chablis “Vaillons”: (from Vaillons and Châtains). A ripe and distinctly floral nose offers up additional notes of spice, tidal pool and shell fish that can also be found on the equally ripe and impressively pure flavors that are dense, serious and intense before culminating in a citrusinfused, balanced and persistent finish. Also very solid. (89-92)/2013+
2008 Chablis “Montée de Tonnerre”: (from 1/3 Pied d’Aloup and the rest from Chapelot). A discreet touch of wood sets pure, elegant and airy floral and spice aromas that are in perfect keeping with the racy, energetic and classy medium weight plus flavors that possess excellent depth as well as superb length. This delivers grand cru quality. (92-94)/2014+
2008 Chablis “Fourchaume”: (from Vaulorent). This is almost as aromatically complex but the profile is completely different as here the nose runs away from the floral and more toward green fruit and minerality that is classic Chablis in character and this character is reflected by the rich and full-bodied flavors that are serious and seem to ooze minerality on the saline and wonderfully intense finish. (91-93)/2014+
2008 Chablis “Vaulorent”: (from an impressive 3.63 ha parcel out of only 17 ha and most of it is hard by Les Preuses. Séguier calls this their “baby grand cru” as specific barrels are selected for vine age, concentration and power). This is one of those wines where you can sense the sheer depth of material simply based on the nose as the very dense fruit displays additional hints of stone, tidal pool, algae, oyster shell and a mix of green fruit and white flower aromas that give way to concentrated, serious and rich flavors that are actually quite fine before culminating in an explosively long and palate staining finish. A terrific wine that could easily pass for a grand cru. (92-95)/2014+
2008 Chablis - Grenouilles: (from vines that abut Vaudésir; purchased grapes where the harvest and vinification was done by the Fèvre team). This is also quite densely fruited with lovely purity yet somewhat surprisingly, there is less elegance to the blend of floral, stone and green and yellow orchard fruit aromas that marry into round, delicious and generous medium full flavors that are impressively complex and persistent. As good as this is, and it is indeed excellent, it can’t match the Vaulorent for overall depth of material. (91-94)/2014+
2008 Chablis – Bougros: A classic Chablis nose of mineral reduction, oyster shell and green fruit aromas merges into sappy, rich and powerful flavors that possess more refinement than usual on the long, sappy and beautifully detailed finish. I’m impressed that this seems to have to rusticity and in this sense, it’s a bit atypical. (92-95)/2015+
2008 Chablis – Bougros “Côte de Bouguerots”: (from a 2 ha parcel at the bottom section of the vineyard; even so, the vineyard is so steep here that it must be worked entirely by hand as tractors would be dangerous to use). Even though the straight Bougros is finer than usual, it is no where near as elegant and pure as its counterpart as the high-toned and strikingly layered nose of oyster shell, mineral reduction and perfumed cool green fruit is extremely seductive and serves as a fascinating introduction to the concentrated, serious and powerful yet refined flavors that ooze a fine minerality on the mouth coating and hugely long finish. This is blessed with buckets of sap that completely buffer the firm acid spine. This is a flat out great effort that makes one go “wow”. (94-96)/2015+
Source : http://www.burghound.com/
Articles
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire