2010 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru

There are a handful of famous producers in Chablis, and a larger number of emerging estates, but the few wineries are as overlooked as Christian Moreau. This is one of the few domaines where I preferred the 2011s to the 2010s. The 2011s have notable freshness and energy, while the 2010s are at times a bit on the heavy side. Perhaps it is a question of harvest dates or the conversion to biodynamic farming that was in its second year in 2011, or a combination of other factors, but it is pretty clear the 2011s have the upper hand when tasted next to the 2010s. The 2011 harvest started on September 2, a good two weeks earlier than 2010. Some of the wines were chaptalized by half a percent. Total acidities were in the 4.5-5% range, which Moreau reports as being similar to 2010. The 2011 Chablis was bottled the first week of June. I tasted the rest of the 2011s from tank or barrel. The 2010s were harvested beginning on September 16th. These are decidedly rich, large-scaled wines endowed with considerable concentration. Yields were down 30-50% because of hail and poor flowering, and that has marked the wines to a significant degree. Wines will appeal to drinkers that like richer wines. Overall, I have a slight preference for the 2011s, which are less bombastic than the 2010s.

Fabien Moreau, who was hobbling around on crutches after injuring his ankle in a tennis tournament just a few days before my visit, told me that some Chablis growers rushed to pick during the first days of September '11, as the weather forecast called for a lot of rain between the 4th and the 6th.But in the end there was only precipitation on the 6th.The Moreaus began on September 2 and didn't finish until the 13th, bringing in fruit with lowish sugars (generally between 11.8% and 12.5%) and no more acidity than in 2010.Interestingly, Moreau compared the young 2011s to the 2008s and 2002s.In comparison, the 2010s are "getting more powerful.They're less strict than the 2008s but have more concentration and structure," he went on."With yields down by 30% to 50% from the flowering, we had a real concentration, and that gave the wines a better natural balance.In 2008, the concentration was from the wind."Thanks to their sorting table and long pressing, the Moreaus begin with little in the way of heavy lees, and keep only the finest lees following the end of the alcoholic fermentations.

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.'