Montee de Tonnerre

A wine which draws you in from the first whiff of oyster shell, there is a wonderful concentration of yellow fruit here, with plenty of power and energy. It is dense and weighty but not remotely heavy, thanks to the fine core of acidity. Drink 2020-2026.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

This domaine, based in the heart of Chablis, dates back to 1850. Prior to 1970 all the wines were fermented and matured in old oak barrels; by 1980 the old oak had been thrown out and the domaine had switched entirely to stainless steel. Today, it is run by Guillaume Gicqueteau-Michel and comprises 25 hectares of vineyards, mainly Premier and Grand Cru. It remains the byword for unoaked Chablis. Once again quantities are very small this year; in fact, 2016 is the smallest vintage Guillaume has ever made. As a longstanding customer, we have been looked after, however, with only the Clos and Grenouilles significantly down on 2015 volumes. Guillaume feels that this is a classic vintage for Chablis, and one which allows each individual terroir to shine through clearly. Despite the challenges of the vintage, this is an excellent range of wines which display great typicity.

This has a fine, pale colour with both concentration and mineral tension on the nose. Although backward, there’s a little fresh fruit too. It opens out to a more succulent mid-palate, still with more tension than opulence: this is very tight indeed and so promises a great future.

The vineyards near to Chablis itself were affected by the heat at Whitsun, which damaged the flowering, so the quantity of wine is no better than last year. Outlying communes, however, were less impacted. Benoît began the harvest early, on 11th September. He compares 2014 to 1996, 2007 (only richer) and 2010 (only more mineral). A recent development here is for the wines to be fermented using their own indigenous yeasts.

This is much more exotic, but in a very good way. The wine has real nervous tension along with Montée de Tonnerre’s natural opulence. There’s a touch of spice here, excellent acidity, a fine thread of concentrated yellow plum fruit and a little bit of orange blossom. Complex and interesting. Drink 2018-2024.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer


Quantity is a bit of a problem this year as the Michels suffered hail in 22 of their 25 hectares. Fortunately most of the Grands Crus were spared, but they have very little Chablis or Premier Cru. Guillaume Michel brought in most of the crop in three and a half days, so there was no deterioration of the grapes from the areas which suffered. The grapes were in fact ripe to perfection and, as with last year, this is an impressive range of wines.

A very powerful, very backward wine with a fine bright colour. The usual sunny, yellow-fruit notes are present, alongside white flower characters and a strong mineral thread. This wine is hugely concentrated with a touch of bacon fat, confirming that the fruit ripened well, but not excessively.
Jasper Morris MW - Burgundy Wine Director

Benoît Droin is the 14th generation of the family producing wine in Chablis, looking after a 25-hectare domaine with an impressive range of Premier and Grand Cru vineyards. Overall Benoît’s crop was down 15%, largely in straight Chablis after frost, and in the early ripening plots which suffered from drought. The wines are very backward this year as the prolonged cold spring inhibited the malolactic fermentation. However, it is very clear that these are wines of great concentration and real potential.

Fine and pale in colour with a light yellow tint. It has a rich yet balanced nose that’s very exciting, dancing with quality fruit. Yellow peaches, mirabelles, yet infused with a backbone of oyster shells. Amazing purity with all the intensity you could hope for. 
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer

Benoît began harvesting on 26th September so almost everything was picked before the rain. Supply is down 30 percent because of the flowering but there was very little rot. It all passed off without problem during vinification and in the cellar.

The vines here date from 1974. The bouquet offers a relatively rich expression of Chablis, if still a bit tight at the moment. There are apples and fresh quince, a huge volume of fruit on the palate, with real weight. It finishes on a pure expression of minerality.
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer

Picking began on Wednesday 2nd October for Les Butteaux and finished on the 8th. The crop was down overall by 35%, especially in village and Grand Cru. The wines underwent a long, slow fermentation without any lees stirring. Though we have long been admirers of this domaine, this is the first appearance for Louis Michel in our Grand Burgundy Offer.off without problem during vinification and in the cellar.

From a southeast-facing parcel in the lieu-dit of Chapelot, with classic Kimmeridgian soils, this cuvée is powerful yet lithe, like a middle-weight boxer. Open and flattering on the nose, there is ripe citrus to the fore, then plenty of fresh, zesty acidity for balance and a cleansing herbaceous note on the finish. Drink 2020-2027. 

This comes from vines that run from top to bottom of Chapelots. Palish in colour with broad shoulders, this is not too rich and sunny but is magnificently complete, with excellent balancing acidity. It’s a marvel in the mouth with waves of different fruits, especially plums. Exceptional quality.

This is an outstanding range of wines from Guillaume, the best we have seen here. The season got off to a difficult start with a touch of frost followed by a Whitsun heatwave, which restricted the flowering. After a normal June, a very wet July encumbered work in the vineyards, then the weather cheered up at the end of the season. The Michels harvested from 17th September through to 1st October because of different ripeness levels, stopping in the middle. Clearly this attention to detail paid off in the end. The wines are hand-picked and fermented in stainless steel using natural yeasts.