2008 Chablis Butteaux Vieilles Vignes 1er Cru

I tasted this year with Jean-Loup Michel's nephew Guillaume Gicqueau-Michel, who is now sharing winemaking responsibilities here. Like a number of his colleagues in Chablis, Gicqueau-Michel made special note of the uneven ripeness in 2009, even within a single vineyard. The Louis Michel estate normally takes 7 or 8 days to harvest but in 2009 it took 13, he told me, with numerous parcels picked in 2 or 3 passes. As in 2008, the 2009s were vinified with wild yeasts, and this change has brought more texture and complexity to these all-stainless steel wines. Gicqueau-Michel noted that the 2009s benefited from the longer fermentations associated with wild yeasts, and that all but the Petit Chablis and Chablis were still on their fine lees at the beginning of June. "But 2009 lacks the acidity to be a great year," he told me. "Two thousand eight has it." (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)

I found more flavor intensity here than in recent visits, and the estate's 2008s look to offer the best combination of richness and stainless-steel-vinified clarity in years. The estate harvested on the late side, beginning on October 1. "Vinification in cuve requires us to start with ripe material," explained Jean-Loup Michel. For the first time, in 2008 the wines were vinified with wild yeasts, and this change appears to have brought more early personality and flavor interest. The 2008 fruit was picked with potential alcohol in the 12.5% range and very little chaptalization was done. For his part, Michel initially described the vintage as "correct" but then in the course of our tasting admitted that the wines were "very good, with more material than the 2007s." Michel prefers 2008 to 2007, but notes that "2007 is great for the true connoisseur of classic Chablis." Incidentally, Michel's nephew Guillaume Gicqueau-Michel has become extensively involved at this family domain and will eventually take over winemaking duties. Michel uses screwcaps for bottles of Petit Chablis, Chablis and Chablis Montmains shipped to the U.S.-a move I applaud. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)