2012 Chablis Les Clos

The 2012 Chablis Les Clos is magnificent. Texture and pure silkiness are two of the signatures in this gorgeous Chablis. Sweet floral and spice notes meld into dried pears, sage, almond and mint, all shaped by the partial vinification in oak. In 2012, the Clos is a wine of total harmony and class. This is a gorgeous Chablis that captures both the essence of site as well as all of the Moreau hallmarks of richness. www.vinousmedia.com

The 2012 Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos Clos des Hospices indeed has a more open nose than the regular Les Clos, with touches of honey, lemon curd and minerals, hints of orange peel developing with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannins, a fine line of acidity and quite a rich, expressive, flavor-packed finish that leaves the mouth tingling with lemongrass on the aftertaste. Superb. Drink 2016-2030. ||Opposite the winery of William Fevre is Domaine Christian Moreau. Unusually, Christian owns more grand cru vines than premier or village cru, such is the way the family’s chips fell when the Moreau family’s holdings were split in 2002 between his cousins to form Louis and Christian Moreau. Everything here is harvested by hand – even the Petit Chablis. Christian told me that the 2013 vintage is the first to be certified organic, which is how his vines have been tended since 2005. Around 65% of the fruit is aged in stainless steel, the remainder in a combination of used barrels, around 10% new or 1-year-old. I must confess that I was relatively unfamiliar with Christian’s wines but I was mightily impressed. They showed great detail both aromatically and on the palate, expressing the nuances with style, perhaps with the one exception being the Vaudesir. Christian came across as a conscientious winemaker, aware of his enviable holdings but refreshingly down-to-earth and practical. Wine Advocate.August, 2014