Chablis from Domaine Moreau-Naudet
I just tasted the 2014 Forets from Nuadet yesterday with the NC distributor and it was excellent, I bought a few for myself and want to extend the offer to any mineral and rock heads that love Chablis on the Board! Nuadet has a different spin than most in Chablis. Un-toasted barrels, no new oak (except AOC base wine), all barrels are conditioned/seasoned with hot water before ever being used. We have a nice mix below of 14-15-16 across the different terroirs class levels. Most are at or are the lowest in the US.
The late Stéphane Moreau, was a devotee of Vincent Dauvissat, the also late Didier Dagueneau (who helped him design his idiosyncratic labels), and Nadi Foucault (Clos Rougeard) and offered us basically everything we like in quality growers of white Burgundy, starting with a remarkable patrimony of old vines (many parcels 50+ years) in superb terroirs (including Forêts!). Here was a talent that had turned his family Domaine around by reintroducing the old, pre-industrial growing methods to make something truly distinctive and extraordinary.
DM ME for orders on this one!
Pricing is extra SHARP!
Forets Chablis 1er Cru 2014 $49.99
Forets Chablis 1er Cru 2015 $40.99
Vaillons 1er Cru Chablis 2015 $40.99
Valmur Chablis Grand Cru 2015 $79.99
Chablis 2016 $29.99
Petit Chablis 2016 $26.99
About Moureau-Naudet
The premature demise Stéphane Moreau in 2016 deprived Chablis of one of its most interesting producers, someone willing to push the boundaries in a somewhat conservative region. Harvesting ripe but clean fruit, cropped at modest yields, followed by extended maturation on the lees were the cornerstone of his approach, today deftly perpetuated under the direction of his widow Virginie. Textural but tangy, the wines do much to prove that ripe grapes and a faithful and differentiated expression of Chablis’s diverse terroirs is possible. Despite challenging circumstances—Stéphane’s departure coincided with a vintage that amounted to a mere quarter of a usual harvest—this is a domaine that continues to thrive and produces very fine wines. They’re well worth seeking out.
Forets
The domaine’s holdings in Forets is made up of two parcels, totaling just under 2 hectares. The older parcel is of 60-year-old vines and is right next to Vincent Dauvissat’s holdings. The second is made up of younger vines (25 years old) and is next door to Raveneau’s parcel of Forets. Forets identity among the geologically diverse premier crus in Chablis is one of notable power and intensity. It’s soil is made up of a variety of different clays and decomposed rock over limestone which together with a southeastern exposure create a warm microclimate.
Vaillons
Moreau-Naudet’s holdings in Vaillons are around 1.7 hectares of 35-50-year-old vines. On the left bank of le Serein and on the middle of the slope, Les Vaillons is a particularly well positioned site that enjoys an excellent reputation thanks to the work of several key growers. The Domaine works with vines in two sub-climats: one called Sécher, a cooler section, and another called Roncières, which provides more opulence. Sécher (usually) accounts for 30% of the blend and provides intense mineral cut and structure. Each parcel is vinified separately before being blended. The wine is aged and fermented in both tank and older barrels. Tasted from tank, this had much more steel and structure than we might have expected from a sunny vintage. There’s flesh alright, yet the wine remained incisive and focused, and with great length and cool transparency.
Valmur
Moreau-Naudet’s sole Grand Cru Chablis comes from just over half a hectare of 35-year-old vines with a fully southern exposure. A south, south-east facing vineyard, a relatively warm terroir that Stephane Moreau likes to harvest early to maintain freshness and finesse. This has it in spades, graceful, lacy flavours of flower, ripe citrus and stone fruit, a very fine acidity adding brightness and freshness. Beautiful striking flavours that haunt the palate. Rather than just being about intensity, this has that extra finesse that should define a true Grand Cru.
Chablis
The Chablis AOC is the only wine in the cellar that sees any new oak. Even so, it is always just a few new barrels that are being added to replace far older ones and constitute a small percentage of the final blend.
Petit Chablis
Despite coming from a 2.5 hectare parcel of young vines, this wine is made with the same level of care that the rest of the wines are. Contrary to the profile of most Petit Chablis, yields are lower than average, fermentation is with indigenous yeast, and it is harvested by hand. The wine is aged for nine months in stainless steel before bottling.
