2007 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru

Fabien Moreau considers 2008 to be a superb vintage for Chablis, as it combines the richness of 2006 and the minerality of 2007. "It's a little like 2002," he told me, "and more concentrated than 2007." The family harvested beginning on October 1, and Fabien vinified for the first time entirely with wild yeasts. There are no set rules for vinification or elevage here: the wines may be fermented in tank or wood (but never more than 2% new oak), and after they're blended following the malo, they are returned to a combination of tank and barrel according to Fabien's taste. Wines may be moved from tank to barrel, or vice-versa, at any time. While I certainly notice the oak element in some cuvees in the early going, my experience has been that this component harmonizes nicely with the wines after just a few years in the bottle, in many cases virtually disappearing. The keys to the steadily rising quality of these excellent wines is the family's superb holdings of old vines, and Fabien's ability to give each wine the treatment it requires. Incidentally, Christian Moreau told me he's enjoying the 2004s, 2003s and 2002s now. "I prefer to drink Chablis after six or seven years," he explained. "After ten years you risk losing the freshness and typicity of Chablis."

The harvest of 2007 was a two-part affair at this family domain, with Christian and son Fabien Moreau bringing in their Vaillons on September 9 due to rot pressures, but then waiting until September 14 to attack the grand crus, which ultimately came in with potential sugar levels between 12.5% and 13% and were not chaptalized. The first blend was made in March, about two months later than usual, after which the wines were returned to a combination of tank and barrel. According to Christian Moreau, the new vintage possesses very good acidity (higher than the 2004s) and a lot of minerality. With the exception of the Vaudesir, which was replanted in 1998, all the vineyard holdings here have an average vine age of at least 40 years. Everything here is picked by hand. Interestingly, Fabien described his 2006s as fresher than the 2005s: "In 2005, the maturity came too quickly," he explained.