2011 Chablis Montmains 1er Cru

Julien Brocard's wines tend toward the richer end of the spectrum for Chablis. Some of the wines are now done entirely in oak, including the Butteaux, Fourchaume and Vaulorent, while others are aged partly in oak and partly in steel including the Bougros and Preuses. I tasted mostly 2011s during my most recent visit, as the 2012s were still unsettled, with a few notable exceptions. The 2011s will offer fine drinking pretty much right out of the gate. Brocard credits biodynamic farming for keeping yields in check, and unlike most of his colleagues, reported very little variance between 2011 and 2012.

Julien Brocard was not prepared to show more than a couple of his 2012 but I tasted a solid line-up of 2011s, which have turned out well.Brocard described 2011 as a generous year, with yields typically in the 50 to 55 hectoliters-per-hectare range:"Not too ripe, not too high in acidity, not especially powerful or fleshy, but nicely balanced and elegant.They are wines of seduction that should be accessible in their youth."Except for the Montmains, which was bottled last September, the 2011s were bottled during the first three months of 2013.Brocard feels that by doing a longer elevage (now 12 to 16 months), he's getting more energy in the family's wines. Also recommended:2011 Chablis Domaine Sainte-Claire (85).(Importers include Verity Wine Partners, www.veritywines.com and Chambers & Chambers Wine Merchants, www.chamberswines.com)

These 2011s and 2010s from the vast Brocard portfolio (which also includes Domaine Herve Azo) are quite representative of the respective years. The 2010s have excellent depth of fruit and acidity, while the 2011s are pretty easygoing wines that appear best suited to near-term drinking. In general terms, the Brocard wines tend to be pretty bold and up-front.

There was a big difference in quality in 2011 between wines from the estate's biodynamically farmed vines and the others, noted Julien Brocard before proving his point by showing me a selection of wines from the new vintage."The bio wines are deeper and denser, from lower yields; the others are a bit dilute," he told me, adding that the estate picked a little later than usual, from September 8 through 24."Especially where yields were high we needed to wait to get more density," he explained.Acidity levels in the young 2011s are in the 4.1 to 4.2 grams-per-liter range, not far off from the 4.0 to 4.5 g/l registered in 2010.I was not able to see the estate's 2011 grand crus as they had not yet been "prepared."In any event, they will not be shipped until next May or June. Also recommended:2011 Petit Chablis (85-86).(Importers include Verity Wine Partners, www.veritywines.com; Chambers & Chambers, www.chamberswines.com and Baroness Wines, www.baronesswines.com)