2008 Chablis Grands Crus
The 2008 Chablis vintage, as elsewhere in Burgundy, was rescued at the last minute by fine weather which set in from the middle of September. There are two important differences with the Côte d'Or, however. Firstly the vintage started later – not until the very end of September – so the vines were able to got the full benefit of this change for the better. Secondly, while equally cool and cloudy for much of the summer, especially in August, it was rather less wet. The incidence of rot and incipient mildew was diminished. That said, without the fine weather from September 15th., 2008 would have certainly been mediocre. As it is we have wines which are very good indeed: classic, minerally Chablis. This is where the 2008 Burgundy whites are at their best.
Following a dry and largely mild winter, the development of the vegetation was somewhat prolonged during a very wet April. There was a frost attack on the 16th., but thankfully this semms to have affected only some localized plots up on the plateau among the Petit Chablis vineyards. May was warmer, indeed a little warmer than the average, but it continued wet. Hail affected the village of Fleys on the 12th..The weather in June was similar: wet but reasonably warm, and a long and drawn-out flowering commenced around the 15th.. Coulure and millerandage reduced the potential crop. Things improved towards the middle of July, only for August to be, if no wetter than the average, cool and cloudy, and this continued until September 14th., when at last the sun began to shine, and a north-east wind dried up the ripening fruit and stopped any major threat of botrytis. This fine weather continued well into October, enabling growers to wait for full maturity and to take their time over the harvest.
The 2008s took their time to show their true character. As elsewhere in Burgundy the malo-lactic fermentations were late, many wines not having finished by the time of the 2009 harvest, traditionally bottling-time for many estates. Nevertheless those I sampled in Beaune and elsewhere in October and November impressed me greatly. So in the early weeks of 2010 I made a date with the local B.I.V.B. and on March 2nd. I sampled 71 grand cru wines in Chablis. Some domaines had not yet bottled, notably those of Pascal Bouchard, Jean-Marc Brocard and Louis Michel. But I was not aware of which bottles when I tasted. It would have given too much of the game away! Yet I only noticed one wine whose lack of a star-bright colour indicated a vat sample.
Grand Cru Chablis should be full and rich, yet at this stage austere as well as racy, steely and minerally. What the best of the 2008s possess is very lovely pure, concentrated fruit, balanced by very good acidity. The 2007s, by contrast, are equally cool and mineral, but they do not have the same weight, depth and concentration. They will evolve sooner. But the 2008s should keep very well.
I happen to like my Chablis young and vibrant, so I will be starting to drink my grand crus from 2012 or so. Classicists may prefer to wait until 2015.
As you will see, the standard of wines was impressive.
BOURGROS
Jean-Marc BrocardNot yet bottled. Not much on the nose. Pleasant, clean fruit on the palate, but without the depth and elegance of a grand cru. Decent follow through. Good.
Co-operative La ChablisienneRipe, succulent, fullish nose. Lovely fruit. A fullish, ample, well-balanced wine. Good energy. Lots of style. Long and positive. Fine.
Domaine du ColombierDecent fruit on the nose. Forward. Delicate. Fresh, racy and fruity on the palate. Medium to medium-full body. Good follow through. Persistent and quite vigorous. Very good plus.
Bernard DefaixRacy, steely nose. Very good fruit and grip. Ripe and pure. Very good definition. Balanced, vigorous, elegant and long on the palate. Very fine.
Joseph DrouhinDelicate but clean, fragrant nose. Ripe, forward, medium bodied, but with very elegant and persistent fruit. Fine plus.
William FevreClean but somewhat neutral on the nose. Slight malic touches. Rather one-dimensional and lacking fruit on the follow through. Only quite good.
William Fevre, Côte BougerotsRacy, stylish, fruity nose. Forward, balanced, gentle but quite intense on the palate. Good fruit. Long. Very good.
Long DepaquitClean but somewhat neutral nose. Fruity but a little one-dimensional. Lacks persistence. Forward. Merely good.
Francois ServinClean, crisp, very dry nose. But not a lot of depth, it seems. Medium body. Ripe and balanced, but something rather heavy and unstylish here. Quite good at best.
Domaine de VaurouxSoft, fruity nose. Not a lot of energy underneath. Slightly oily on the plate. And the fruit is a little bitter as well as not very stylish.
GRENOUILLES
Co-operative La Chablisienne, Château GrenouillesSomewhat exotically perfumed on the nose. Decent fruit on the attack. Rather hard on the follow through. Lacks charm as well as style.
Jean-Paul et Benoit DroinClean but forward and non-descript. Rather short.
Louis MichelNot yet bottled. Slight touch of reduction on the nose. Light. Pleasant enough. But lacks depth and elegance.
LA MOUTONNE
Long DepaquitThis was hidden among the wines above. Attractive, flowery nose. Medium body. Racy, steely, balanced and persistent. Good vigour. Long and promising. Very good indeed.
PREUSES
Jean-Marie BrocardNot yet bottled. Fullish, plump nose. An ample wine here. Ripe and succulent. Well balanced. Good style. Vigorous. Very good indeed.
Co-operative La ChablisienneClosed-in nose. Just a touch of sulphur. Good depth. A little tight. But good energy. Very good.
Dampt-DupasPlump nose. Clean and fruity. Medium weight. Quite persistent but not the greatest of style. Good.
FaiveleyRipe, almost honeyed (in a Chablisien sense) on the nose. A touch of new oak here. Rich, balanced, good fruit. Not my style but well made. Very good indeed.
Nathalie et Gilles FevreGood clean fruit on the nose. Medium body. Ripe, racy and fruity on the palate. Balanced and persistent. Complex and elegant. Fine.
William FevreClean nose, but it seems a little dilute. Understated. Medium body. Good grip and persistence. More to it than there seems at first. Very good.
Simonnet FebvreSoft, fruity nose. Good racy fruit on the palate. But a slight lack of real quality and dimension. Good plus.
BLANCHOTS
Pascal BouchardNot yet bottled. Slightly weak on the nose. Medium body. Lacks grip. Quite pretty fruit. But it tails off.
Co-operative La ChablisienneGood nutty nose. Fullish, ripe, succulent, racy and balanced. Very good follow through. Lots of depth and energy. Fine.
FaiveleyRipe, stylish, flowery nose. Good weight. Quite rich. Certainly vigorous. Fullish body, ample and persistent. Very good indeed.
Long DepaquitA little over-blown and herbal on the nose. Better on the palate. Good grip. Quite full body. Has persistence if no great finesse. Good.
Denis RaceGood rich, firm nose. Plenty of depth and energy. On the palate less elegance than I hoped to find after the nose. An abundant wine though. Ample and fullish in body. Very good.
Francois ServinAtractive but undersated slightly herbal nose. Ripe, integrated. Medium-full bodied. Balanced. Good energy. Lovely, long finish. Fine.
Château de ViviersNot a lot of vigour on the nose. Ripe. Medium body. Lacks style and energy. No better than fair.
VALMUR
Jean-Claude BessinCool, composed, restrained but high quality nose. Fullish body, concentrated and profound. Very good grip. Lovely fruit. Lots and lots of energy. Needs time. Very fine.
Jean-Marc BrocardNot yet in bottle. Concentrated, quite closed in but very pure and steely on the nose. Lovely fruit on the attack. Medium-full body. Ripe and succulent. Very good grip. Long. Fine plus.
Jean Collet et FilsFine nose. Steely, pure, intense and lovely. Medium-full body. Profound. Mineral. Concentrated. Splendidly balanced. Very lovely finish. Excellent.
Jean-Paul et Benoit DroinDiscreet and classy on the nose. Very lovely fruit and balance. Quite full body. Persistent. Ripe, poised, harmonious and intense. Long and lovely. Very fine.
William FevreFullish ample, slightly puppy-fat fruit on the nose. Medium-full body. Decent grip. Good style and concentration. Best at the end, which is cool, balanced and prtsistent. Very good indeed.
Christian Moreau Père et FilsSlightly over-blown nose. Medium-full body. Ripe and ample. Good grip. Plenty of fruit and plenty of energy. Lacks a bit of nuance but very good.
VAUDESIR
Jean-Marc BrocardNot yet in bottle. Not star bright in colour. Ripe, round and mineral on the nose. Full and concentrated. Crammed with fruit. Excellent grip. Very profound and very lovely. Very fine.
Pascal BouchardNot yet in bottle. Clean but a little weak on the nose. Good balance and quite racy fruit on the palate. Medium body. But a slight lack of dimension on the follow through. Very good.
Co-operative La ChablisienneLovely intense fruit on the nose. Steely and complex. Not quite as impressive on the palate, but pure and balanced and certainly fine.
Bernard DefaixVery fine classy nose. Properly mineral. Lots of depth. Lots of energy. Very impressive depth and grip. Long. Comlex. Very fine.
Jean-Paul et Benoit DroinClean and stylish on the nose. But it lacks a little intensity. Medium body. Ripe, balanced and stylish. Nicely racy. Very good indeed.
Joseph DrouhinLightweight nose with a suggestion of oak. Medium body. Ripe. Good grip. Well made. But the oak masks the minerality of Chablis.
J. Durup et FilsThis is a bit over-blown on the nose and rather cheap on the palate. Too evolved. Disappointing.
FaiveleyMedium weight. Stylish nose. Harmonious and subtle. Ripe fruit. Good attack. Lacks a little energy at the end but very good indeed.
William FevreA bit inexpressive on the nose. Better on the palate. Medium-full body. Good grip. Pure and intense. Long and racy. Very good depth. Fine.
Garnier et FilsNot yet in bottle. More depth of colour than most. Ripe fruit. Some evolution. Ample, quite peachy. Good acidity. Classy and profound. Lots of energy. Fine plus.
Olivier Leflaive FrèresYouthful, intense, classy nose. Medium to medium-full body. Very good grip. Lovely peachy fruit. Complex, long and stylish. Fine.
Long DepaquitCool, poised, pure, intense nose. Medium-full body. Ripe and round. Fresh and balanced. But not the energy at the end. Very good plus.
Domaine de MalandesVery attractive nose. Ripe, steely, but nutty. Pure and very elegant. Fullish body. Rich. Balanced. Energetic. Lots of depth. Very high quality. Delicious.
Domaine de MaupertuisBalanced and subtle on the nose if no great vigour. Round, ripe, ample and fruity on the palate. Good acidity. Pure and not short. Very good plus.
Louis MichelNot yet in bottle. Not quite the finesse on the nose of some. Fullish, ample, ripe and balanced nevertheless. But it lacks flair.
Christian Moreau Père et FilsRipe, racy, complex, mineral nose. Medium-full body. Ample fruit. Balalnced and abundant. Plenty of energy and intensity on the follow through. Fine plus.
J. Moreau et FilsClean but rather inexpressive on the nose. Medium weight. Decent fruit and balance. But no real depth or flair.
LES CLOS
Pascal BouchardNot yet in botle. Not a lot on the nose. Ripe if a little evolved on the palate. Medium body. Good fruit. But no real depth or flair.
Jean-Marc BrocardNot yet in bottle. Splendid rich concentrated nose. Pure, minerally, ripe and intense. Very lovely fruit. Medium-full body. Very concentrated. Really energetic. Splendid.
Co-operative La ChablisiennePerfumed nose. Classy, racy-peachy, ripe nose. Creamy-rich old vine elements here. Full, intense, round. Lovely balance and very complete. Marvelous finish. Excellent.
Chanson Père et FilsGentle nose. Some evolution. Medium body. Not a great deal of depth or dimension. Lacks concentration. Pretty but not serious.
Jean-Paul et Benoit DroinGood class and good depth on the nose. Very good minerality. Medium-full body. Lovely fruit. Very complex and very harmonious. This is intense and very elegant. Very fine.
Joseph DrouhinInteresting slightly herbal nose. Plus a touch of oak. Medium to medium-full body. Good grip and ripeness. Good intensity. But the wood dominates. Well made but not my style of Chablis.
Cave DuplessisNot yet in bottle. Decent balance and intensity on the nose, if not a great deal of class. Fullish body. Broad flavoured. Decent grip. But it finishes just a little coarse.
J.Durup et FilsRather over-blown on the nose. Rather flat in the glass. Medium body. This is going nowhere.
FaiveleyGraceful, flowery nose. Medium-full body. Balanced, ripe, racy and quite profound. This is composed and classy. Fine.
William FevreA little reduction on the nose at first. Full, fat and rich underneath. Full body. Plenty of vigour. Just a hint of oak. Very good grip. Plenty of wine here. Ample, concentrated and profound. Fine plus.
Garnier et FilsNot yet in bottle. Rather neutral on the nose. Medium body. Balanced, and at first just seemed pretty. But the follow through showed good energy and style and more depth than was apparent at first. Not fine but very good indeed.
Lamblin et FilsStylish nose. Subtle and elegant. Not a blockbuster. Medium-full body. Pure and balanced. Nicely racy and minerally. Very good follow through. Intense and complex. Fine.
Long DepaquitNot a lot on the nose. Light and indeed thin on the palate. This is supposed to be grand cru ???
Domaine de MalandesLovely high-toned, flowery-herbal nose. Fullish body. Ripe, balanced, succulent and harmonious. Lots of energy. Multi-dimensional. Excellent.
Louis MichelRipe, balanced, classy nose. Full body. Rich, ample, succulent and energetic. Very elegant. Lovely balance. Very fine.
Christian Moreau Père et FilsGood ripe, open, succulent nose. Ample fruit on the palate. Medium to medium-full body. Very ripe but the richness is steely and minerally Plenty of depth. Fine.
Christian Moreau Père et Fils. Clos des Hospices(Potentially better, but the vines are younger here). Not very expressive on the nose. But composed and classy underneath. Good attack. Pure, ripe, balanced and elegant. But it tails off a bit on the finish. Very good at best.
PinsonGood intensity on the nose if not a great deal of class. Medium-full body. Good balance and plenty of energy. But it lacks the final element of finesse. Very good plus.
Francois ServinFull, quite concentrated, intense, youthful colour. Broad flavoured and slightly scented on the nose. Full body. Good grip. Plenty of wine here. But it lacks real flair.
Simonnet FebvreClean but not very intense on the nose. Medium body. Is there a touch of oak? No great concentration here. Nor grip. The wine is rather feeble and therefore the oak dominates.