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.

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.

The compact blue clay soil of Montée de Tonnerre limits yield but aids concentration. This is a very powerful Chablis which needs time; it is tight and concentrated but not lean. There is a wealth of ripe lemon fruit and a fine flinty finish.
Jasper Morris MW, Berrys' Burgundy Director The 2011 vintage has turned out very well here, better than Benoît initially expected. It was a normal sized crop, picked early (from 31st August) in order to maintain acidity in a vintage which otherwise has the weight of 2005 or 2009. We were very impressed by the whole range, with each vineyard offering a different set of flavours. As usual, Benoît employs a different oak regime for each wine according to the needs of its terroir.

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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.