2023 Chablis Beauroy 1er Cru

"It was not an easy vintage,” Didier Séguier confessed when I visited him at their tasting room, conveniently located opposite the Maufoux bistro. “Bud break was at the end of March with just minor frost damage. Flowering in May was regular, and afterward, two months of mildew pressure made it difficult for those who farm organically. It was our first year certified. We lost 10% to 30% depending on the location, but it was beneficial in retrospect as it was such a generous vintage. We produced normal yields in the end. We had regular rain during the season, so the berries could be up to 200 grams compared to 58 grams in 2019. The rain stopped at a good moment - two or three days more and we would have been destroyed by botrytis. We de-leafed from the end of July on the east-facing side of the vine to improve aeration. This was very important. The warm temperatures before picking concentrated the berries and decreased the malic acid. We started the picking on September 7, while others started a week later. It could be difficult to obtain maturity if yields were too high. We only picked in the morning as it was too hot during the first week, then it began to cool down. It is not a classic vintage. But now I see the freshness and mineralité, the wines always improving. Bottling will mostly be done next spring after 18 or 19 months.”