2009 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru

Fabien Moreau, Christian Moreau's son, is a sixth-generation winemaker. Despite a rich family lineage, Domaine Christian Moreau is a relatively new estate. The winery was founded in 2002 upon Christian Moreau's exit from the family's négociant business following its sale to Boisset. Domaine Christian Moreau farms 12 hectares of vineyards, of which 5.5 are grand cru and 4.5 premier cru. The Domaine lost 30-45% of their crop in 2010 to low yields caused by an irregular flowering that dragged out over three weeks instead of the customary ten days because of unusually cool, damp weather. According to Fabien Moreau the high presence of millerandage (shot berries) and shatter mark the 2010s to a great degree. Vintage 2010 is the first year the Domaine is certified biodynamic. Aside from some hail in early July, which mostly affected Vaillons, the rest of the growing season here proceeded with little in the way of complications until the harvest, which started on September 21st. The wines had high acidity and plenty of malic acid, so the 2010s completed 100% of their malos. I tasted all of the 2009s from bottle and the 2010s in approximate final blends from tank. Moreau ages a portion of their top wines in barrel. In 2009, oak levels were down slightly as Fabien Moreau was concerned that the oak might overpower wines with the naturally lower acidities that are characteristic of that year.

Christian Moreau noted that he and his son Fabien, who directs winemaking here, began fermenting their grand crus with wild yeasts in 2008, and quickly found more terroir differences in their wines. "Some of the commercial yeasts can standardize the wines," Moreau told me. The Moreaus harvested from September 21 through 28 in 2010, and although they only picked under dry conditions, they still used their sorting table to eliminate 10% to 15% rotten grapes. "There was more rot than in 2008," Christian Moreau told me, adding that the ''10s have "nice minerality." They may not be as rich as the 2008s and 2009s, he added, but the crus still have plenty of material.'

The Moreau family started harvesting on September 19 in 2009, with plenty of potential alcohol in the grapes. "We had perfect ripening conditions and very little disease pressure," noted Fabien Moreau. "A great August and a good September gave us a lot of natural maturity. In contrast, the sound sugar levels in 2008 were more from evaporation of water due to the north wind in September, which allowed the grapes to retain acidity. Still, even though we waited to pick in 2009, we had good acidity levels: better than in 2006, more like 2005. In sum, 2009 is a pleasant surprise." Incidentally, as at Louis Michel, 2008 was the first vintage here that was vinified entirely with wild yeasts. "We like the much longer fermentations," said Fabien. "Now they take seven to ten days to start and then build slowly."