2008 Domaine Guy Roulot Bourgogne Blanc
The thing that grabs me here is the texture. Sure, the palate is just fine, with clean lemon fruit and white flowers, but there is a sappy quality to the palate, a texture that is almost prickly and gripping, and makes this wine captivating. Smooths out overnight, softens on the palate and that interesting texture is more relaxed. Very nice purity here, good minerality and high acidity, just the way I like it.
2007 Domaine Guy Roulot Bourgogne Blanc
I went through many bottles of this wine in '09 and '10 and watched its gradual progression, drinking the balance of my bottles because I found it to be losing freshness, and taking on more mature notes. Then, in February 2011, Michel opened a bottle and I was surprised by how mineraly and acidic that bottle showed. This most recent bottle was more in-line with February's bottle and once again showed huge minerality and acids. I liked the briskness a lot. However, this bottle made me think of a crater - a depression at the center that corresponded with a shortness of full fruit, while the high walls of the crater corresponded to the high minerality and acidity. Thankfully, not much oak or toasty notes. Drink now.
2008 Moreau-Naudet & Fils Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre (First bottle)
One of the most reticent 08 Chablis I've tasted. Very pure and transparent, hardly giving anything off on the palate initially, while the nose gives up tantalizing wisps of perfume, lemons and stones. The palate is very clean and pure, showing lots of underlying acidity and minerals on the finish. Let this sleep for a year or two and then check in.
2008 Moreau-Naudet & Fils Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre (Second bottle)
Found some more of this and tried a second bottle to see if I should re-load. Not as clean and transparent as the last bottle a few weeks ago. Some sharp oak notes upfront. They blew off with air, but it tainted my impression of this wine as clean and traditional. I still think this has great raw materials, texture and acidity to age in the cellar, but I'm not as compelled to add more to the cellar than I already own.
2008 Domaine Louis Michel Chablis 1er Cru Les Forêts
This '08 Michel Chablis "Forêts" seems to have been lost among the wines opened over the past week, including July 4th weekend wines, which goes to show just how (not) memorable this wine was. Recalling my impressions from a few days ago, the wine lacked the cut of the '07s from L. Michel and was more approachable than the '07s (although my tasting note on the '07 L. Michel Forêts reflected that the '07 Forêts was more approachable on release than Michel's other 2007 1ers. It could be that the Forêts is the soonest ready, least backward of all of the Michel 1er Chablis). While I sensed some dry extract on the palate of this '08 (as was the case with the '07) and good raw materials, I am more impressed with many other '08 Chablis. I opened this bottle because I saw this wine available at retail and thought about re-loading, but I'm not compelled enough to do so. A good wine, to be sure, but there are other '08s that I am more interested in adding to the cellar.
2008 Domaine Louis Michel Chablis 1er Cru Montmain
From .375. This was fabulous. Forward and full on the palate, showing notes of apple and pear, trademark Louis Michel wooly notes, and a bit of sea breeze. The acidity is in the finish. At this point, I find the '08 Michel Chablis that I've tasted (only the Forets and this Montmain) to be more open than the '07s were at the same point in their evolution.
2008 Frédéric Gueguen (Domaine des Chenevières) Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume
Never had this producer before, and it is an eye opener. Noticeable lemon on the nose and front palate, with a rainwater purity to the palate. Focused, pure and rather complete to the finish. Chris suggests that this is more a ripe fruit style than minerally, but I'm not so sure as both the fruit and minerality shine equally. Shows just as well if not better on the second night, with a seawater salinity to the finish, which is long and full. Impressive.
2008 Domaine Thierry Laffay Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons
Much better on the second night. On the first night, it seemed grassy with a lot of citrus, and whether I had Sauvignon Blanc on my mind and it affected my perception of the wine, or the wine on its own was more reminiscent of Sauvignon Blanc than Chablis, I wasn't fully into it. Along with the grass/citrus top notes there was a bit of a vanilla oak bottom note. I blame an off night for my palate, because on the second night, the wine delivered the Chablis goods. Huge acidity and minerality, clear palate, lemons, plenty of tension to the palate, no signs of overt oak, young and tight and in need of a year or two in the cellar at a minimum. Based on the second night, this is a good '08 Chablis.
2008 La Chablisienne Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume
Crisp palate, high acidity, with what some critics call algae or tidal pool, no obvious oak. Bright, acidic citrus fruit, effusive palate. This wine really grows on me. It grows riper and richer in the glass, but not sloppy; it's well-contained and effusive at the same time. With air, orange marmalade and tangerine notes emerge. A precocious youngster that will probably gain more finesse as it gets older. No brainer to add a case to the cellar.
2008 Laurent Tribut Chablis
Lots of acidity and minerality from a small pour late at night. Put the cork in the bottle and stuck it in the fridge overnight. The next night, I find notes of hay, more tan than white or clear fruit, and the palate is somewhat coarse, a bit too big and clumsy, the opposite of the lithe and transparent 08 Moreau Naudet Chablis I enjoyed a few nights prior. Finish shows some salinity, but is rather sharp also. Seems to have some decent raw materials, but needs at least 6 - 12 months to settle down.
2008 J.M. Boillot Montagny 1er Cru
Pretty darn tasty. Palate is rainwater pure with a squirt of lemon. On the second night, much longer on the palate, the lemon is stronger and there are also nuances of grapefruit and minerals. The oak is also peeking out, in a good way, imparting some textural interest to the palate, and the acidity provides nice energy. Should have bought more than a six pack. Easy to drink.
2007 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
At first, after about two hours of air, I found this to be disappointing and I questioned why I spent 88 CHF on this wine when a $30 bottle of Fevre Fourchaume would have shown just as well. But give this wine about four hours of air and wow, it just comes alive. There is a touch of butter cream on the front on the palate, but the finish is where this wine shines, with minerals and a generous measure of salt. The midpalate is young and primary, full in the mouth, but without much detail and complexity, at least at this point. The Grand Cru qualities, at this point, are found on the finish. Drinking very well now, in a primary way. I would cellar this for a few years to see what complexities may emerge. Bought at Ritter Wine in Schaan and opened at the restaurant at the Residence Hotel in Vaduz, Liechtenstein, with David from Switzerland.
2007 Vincent Mothe Chablis Grand Cru Bougros
Lots of citrus in this Chablis, ranging from clear grapefruit to more orange-hued tangerine notes, and an unexpected apricot-like component as well, reminiscent of the tropical notes frequently found in 2006 vintage Chablis. The apricot note was almost botrytis-like, and had a suggestion of cement, which made it very reminiscent of a Sauternes. Did Mothe allow these grapes to be infected by the noble rot? Not to suggest that this wine is at all sweet or desert like, the citrus notes come on strong. Interesting Chablis.
2007 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Mercurey La Creuze
The oak on this wine is bothering me more than an earlier bottle. It's rather toasty oaky.
2007 Domaine Leflaive Macon-Verzé
Another great showing. A touch reductive on the nose at first, but it clears up with half an hour of air. Palate shows subtle changes with air, including lemon, mineral and melon and some good sweet/sour/salinity on the finish. Acidity is still bright. Signs of more yellow or tan fruit than clear, suggesting that the wine is aging, but on day two there is no degradation and it appears clean and clear, with good focus, minerality and bright acidity. Very interesting powdery texture on the second night. An amazingly pleasing wine at its price point, which I keep re-loading as a house white.
2006 Henri Prudhon & Fils Saint-Aubin 1er Cru En Remilly
Odd wine. At first, it seems oxidized, darker in color than it should be, with too much toasted hazelnut, oxidized and sherry-like on the palate, although Deb thinks it's more an issue of excessive oak than oxidation. When we returned from our July 4th trip 48 hours later, it didn't appear as oxidized, showing clearer and less golden and toasty, but now rather flat, with vanilla notes, lacking in cut. Not sure whether this is just badly oaked, oxidized, or both.
2005 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis 1er Cru La Forest
We had enjoyed 8 vintages of Clos Erasmus, plus 83 Dow and 96 Yquem and an Henriquez Malvasia Madeira from sometime in the mid 1800's (thank you, Marco!), and Jackdaw and I still found it necessary to open this bottle after midnight and enjoy it outside on the deck. It's terrific - but way, way too young. While the clarity is great and the focus is precise, it's showing way too much vanilla bean qualities that need to absorb. After a night of air, it's much better balanced, with the oak less overt and the wine showing pure and precise, albeit very young and primary. Upfront, there is a lot of creaminess, but when that fades from the palate, the minerals and acidity endure on the finish, along with salt. The raw materials are clearly here, it just needs a lot of time to come together.
2005 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Bougros Cote de Bouguerots
I opened this bottle after a bottle last month with Bruce and Brooklynguy which was good, but not as good as the mind-blowing bottle last fall. I keep trying to attain the pleasure last fall. Deb likes this wine because it's not heavy, it's direct and clear, and nicely balanced. I like it for those same reasons, plus its focus and subtlety.
2009 Domaine du Closel-Chateau des Vaults Savennières La Jalousie
Totally closed. All this wine gives off right now is a bit of an oily texture, and even that is reticent. Even after three days, hardly budged. Hold.
2007 François Chidaine Montlouis-sur-Loire Les Bournais
Having been through the line-up of Chidaine's 08s, I bought this '07 to compare. Not as overt and as giving as the '08s, this is more linear, not as big and effusive . . . and these are not criticisms. A touch of honey at the front of the palate, good clarity and focus, precise, with tremendous minerality, and the wine ends very dry in the mouth. The finish showed a reverb of minerality on the walls of my mouth long after I swallowed the wine.
2004 M. Chapoutier Hermitage Blanc Chante-Alouette
Dark color, almost like an older Sauternes. Nose shows some white flowers, no signs of oxidation. The palate, however, is slightly oxidized and nutty, reminiscent of the Jura, without being old or showing baked fruit notes. Oily mouthfeel, typical. To my palate, needs more acid and more cut, but then again I drink mostly Chablis. Palate is round and smoothly contoured, with noticeable weight, showing dried pineapple, dried apple slices, with almonds and wilted flowers on the finish. Better on the second day, as it shows brighter and seems to find its groove. Within its genre, this is surely a good wine. But I am not a huge fan of white Rhones, and would prefer less of an oily texture and more cut and steeliness.
The thing that grabs me here is the texture. Sure, the palate is just fine, with clean lemon fruit and white flowers, but there is a sappy quality to the palate, a texture that is almost prickly and gripping, and makes this wine captivating. Smooths out overnight, softens on the palate and that interesting texture is more relaxed. Very nice purity here, good minerality and high acidity, just the way I like it.
2007 Domaine Guy Roulot Bourgogne Blanc
I went through many bottles of this wine in '09 and '10 and watched its gradual progression, drinking the balance of my bottles because I found it to be losing freshness, and taking on more mature notes. Then, in February 2011, Michel opened a bottle and I was surprised by how mineraly and acidic that bottle showed. This most recent bottle was more in-line with February's bottle and once again showed huge minerality and acids. I liked the briskness a lot. However, this bottle made me think of a crater - a depression at the center that corresponded with a shortness of full fruit, while the high walls of the crater corresponded to the high minerality and acidity. Thankfully, not much oak or toasty notes. Drink now.
2008 Moreau-Naudet & Fils Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre (First bottle)
One of the most reticent 08 Chablis I've tasted. Very pure and transparent, hardly giving anything off on the palate initially, while the nose gives up tantalizing wisps of perfume, lemons and stones. The palate is very clean and pure, showing lots of underlying acidity and minerals on the finish. Let this sleep for a year or two and then check in.
2008 Moreau-Naudet & Fils Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre (Second bottle)
Found some more of this and tried a second bottle to see if I should re-load. Not as clean and transparent as the last bottle a few weeks ago. Some sharp oak notes upfront. They blew off with air, but it tainted my impression of this wine as clean and traditional. I still think this has great raw materials, texture and acidity to age in the cellar, but I'm not as compelled to add more to the cellar than I already own.
2008 Domaine Louis Michel Chablis 1er Cru Les Forêts
This '08 Michel Chablis "Forêts" seems to have been lost among the wines opened over the past week, including July 4th weekend wines, which goes to show just how (not) memorable this wine was. Recalling my impressions from a few days ago, the wine lacked the cut of the '07s from L. Michel and was more approachable than the '07s (although my tasting note on the '07 L. Michel Forêts reflected that the '07 Forêts was more approachable on release than Michel's other 2007 1ers. It could be that the Forêts is the soonest ready, least backward of all of the Michel 1er Chablis). While I sensed some dry extract on the palate of this '08 (as was the case with the '07) and good raw materials, I am more impressed with many other '08 Chablis. I opened this bottle because I saw this wine available at retail and thought about re-loading, but I'm not compelled enough to do so. A good wine, to be sure, but there are other '08s that I am more interested in adding to the cellar.
2008 Domaine Louis Michel Chablis 1er Cru Montmain
From .375. This was fabulous. Forward and full on the palate, showing notes of apple and pear, trademark Louis Michel wooly notes, and a bit of sea breeze. The acidity is in the finish. At this point, I find the '08 Michel Chablis that I've tasted (only the Forets and this Montmain) to be more open than the '07s were at the same point in their evolution.
2008 Frédéric Gueguen (Domaine des Chenevières) Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume
Never had this producer before, and it is an eye opener. Noticeable lemon on the nose and front palate, with a rainwater purity to the palate. Focused, pure and rather complete to the finish. Chris suggests that this is more a ripe fruit style than minerally, but I'm not so sure as both the fruit and minerality shine equally. Shows just as well if not better on the second night, with a seawater salinity to the finish, which is long and full. Impressive.
2008 Domaine Thierry Laffay Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons
Much better on the second night. On the first night, it seemed grassy with a lot of citrus, and whether I had Sauvignon Blanc on my mind and it affected my perception of the wine, or the wine on its own was more reminiscent of Sauvignon Blanc than Chablis, I wasn't fully into it. Along with the grass/citrus top notes there was a bit of a vanilla oak bottom note. I blame an off night for my palate, because on the second night, the wine delivered the Chablis goods. Huge acidity and minerality, clear palate, lemons, plenty of tension to the palate, no signs of overt oak, young and tight and in need of a year or two in the cellar at a minimum. Based on the second night, this is a good '08 Chablis.
2008 La Chablisienne Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume
Crisp palate, high acidity, with what some critics call algae or tidal pool, no obvious oak. Bright, acidic citrus fruit, effusive palate. This wine really grows on me. It grows riper and richer in the glass, but not sloppy; it's well-contained and effusive at the same time. With air, orange marmalade and tangerine notes emerge. A precocious youngster that will probably gain more finesse as it gets older. No brainer to add a case to the cellar.
2008 Laurent Tribut Chablis
Lots of acidity and minerality from a small pour late at night. Put the cork in the bottle and stuck it in the fridge overnight. The next night, I find notes of hay, more tan than white or clear fruit, and the palate is somewhat coarse, a bit too big and clumsy, the opposite of the lithe and transparent 08 Moreau Naudet Chablis I enjoyed a few nights prior. Finish shows some salinity, but is rather sharp also. Seems to have some decent raw materials, but needs at least 6 - 12 months to settle down.
2008 J.M. Boillot Montagny 1er Cru
Pretty darn tasty. Palate is rainwater pure with a squirt of lemon. On the second night, much longer on the palate, the lemon is stronger and there are also nuances of grapefruit and minerals. The oak is also peeking out, in a good way, imparting some textural interest to the palate, and the acidity provides nice energy. Should have bought more than a six pack. Easy to drink.
2007 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
At first, after about two hours of air, I found this to be disappointing and I questioned why I spent 88 CHF on this wine when a $30 bottle of Fevre Fourchaume would have shown just as well. But give this wine about four hours of air and wow, it just comes alive. There is a touch of butter cream on the front on the palate, but the finish is where this wine shines, with minerals and a generous measure of salt. The midpalate is young and primary, full in the mouth, but without much detail and complexity, at least at this point. The Grand Cru qualities, at this point, are found on the finish. Drinking very well now, in a primary way. I would cellar this for a few years to see what complexities may emerge. Bought at Ritter Wine in Schaan and opened at the restaurant at the Residence Hotel in Vaduz, Liechtenstein, with David from Switzerland.
2007 Vincent Mothe Chablis Grand Cru Bougros
Lots of citrus in this Chablis, ranging from clear grapefruit to more orange-hued tangerine notes, and an unexpected apricot-like component as well, reminiscent of the tropical notes frequently found in 2006 vintage Chablis. The apricot note was almost botrytis-like, and had a suggestion of cement, which made it very reminiscent of a Sauternes. Did Mothe allow these grapes to be infected by the noble rot? Not to suggest that this wine is at all sweet or desert like, the citrus notes come on strong. Interesting Chablis.
2007 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Mercurey La Creuze
The oak on this wine is bothering me more than an earlier bottle. It's rather toasty oaky.
2007 Domaine Leflaive Macon-Verzé
Another great showing. A touch reductive on the nose at first, but it clears up with half an hour of air. Palate shows subtle changes with air, including lemon, mineral and melon and some good sweet/sour/salinity on the finish. Acidity is still bright. Signs of more yellow or tan fruit than clear, suggesting that the wine is aging, but on day two there is no degradation and it appears clean and clear, with good focus, minerality and bright acidity. Very interesting powdery texture on the second night. An amazingly pleasing wine at its price point, which I keep re-loading as a house white.
2006 Henri Prudhon & Fils Saint-Aubin 1er Cru En Remilly
Odd wine. At first, it seems oxidized, darker in color than it should be, with too much toasted hazelnut, oxidized and sherry-like on the palate, although Deb thinks it's more an issue of excessive oak than oxidation. When we returned from our July 4th trip 48 hours later, it didn't appear as oxidized, showing clearer and less golden and toasty, but now rather flat, with vanilla notes, lacking in cut. Not sure whether this is just badly oaked, oxidized, or both.
2005 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis 1er Cru La Forest
We had enjoyed 8 vintages of Clos Erasmus, plus 83 Dow and 96 Yquem and an Henriquez Malvasia Madeira from sometime in the mid 1800's (thank you, Marco!), and Jackdaw and I still found it necessary to open this bottle after midnight and enjoy it outside on the deck. It's terrific - but way, way too young. While the clarity is great and the focus is precise, it's showing way too much vanilla bean qualities that need to absorb. After a night of air, it's much better balanced, with the oak less overt and the wine showing pure and precise, albeit very young and primary. Upfront, there is a lot of creaminess, but when that fades from the palate, the minerals and acidity endure on the finish, along with salt. The raw materials are clearly here, it just needs a lot of time to come together.
2005 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Bougros Cote de Bouguerots
I opened this bottle after a bottle last month with Bruce and Brooklynguy which was good, but not as good as the mind-blowing bottle last fall. I keep trying to attain the pleasure last fall. Deb likes this wine because it's not heavy, it's direct and clear, and nicely balanced. I like it for those same reasons, plus its focus and subtlety.
2009 Domaine du Closel-Chateau des Vaults Savennières La Jalousie
Totally closed. All this wine gives off right now is a bit of an oily texture, and even that is reticent. Even after three days, hardly budged. Hold.
2007 François Chidaine Montlouis-sur-Loire Les Bournais
Having been through the line-up of Chidaine's 08s, I bought this '07 to compare. Not as overt and as giving as the '08s, this is more linear, not as big and effusive . . . and these are not criticisms. A touch of honey at the front of the palate, good clarity and focus, precise, with tremendous minerality, and the wine ends very dry in the mouth. The finish showed a reverb of minerality on the walls of my mouth long after I swallowed the wine.
2004 M. Chapoutier Hermitage Blanc Chante-Alouette
Dark color, almost like an older Sauternes. Nose shows some white flowers, no signs of oxidation. The palate, however, is slightly oxidized and nutty, reminiscent of the Jura, without being old or showing baked fruit notes. Oily mouthfeel, typical. To my palate, needs more acid and more cut, but then again I drink mostly Chablis. Palate is round and smoothly contoured, with noticeable weight, showing dried pineapple, dried apple slices, with almonds and wilted flowers on the finish. Better on the second day, as it shows brighter and seems to find its groove. Within its genre, this is surely a good wine. But I am not a huge fan of white Rhones, and would prefer less of an oily texture and more cut and steeliness.
