Montmains

These vines were planted in 1956, so are slightly younger than the Forêt vines. The nose displays classic Chablis dairy notes, some citrus and a touch of spice from the oak. This is a classic Montmain, with lovely, lemony acidity, well-integrated oak and plenty of oyster shell and sea-breeze notes. Drink 2021-2028.

It’s mixed news this year: while 2017 sees the return of the much-loved Cuvée Mademoiselle, overall there is less wine than in 2016, frost damage having cut the crop by anything up to 70 percent, with the worst-affected area being Les Clos. Despite the obvious disappointment of the small crop, Laurent and Charlène were delighted with the quality and health of the grapes at harvest, and feel this is a classically Chablisien vintage.

Guillaume describes this as a connoisseur’s Chablis because it can be coltish in youth and demands time for all the components to knit together. It owes its ripe bouquet and fleshy palate to the vineyard’s clay soils and the age of the vines, planted in 1943. Already, however, it gains focus towards the finish, which is long and saline. Drink 2021-2027.

As in 2016, Guillaume harvested just half a normal crop in 2017. While his village holdings suffered most in 2016, the Premiers and Grands Crus were worst affected this time, with frost to blame. Nonetheless, Guillaume was characteristically cheerful when we visited, and full of enthusiasm for a vintage he describes as “old school – before global warming”. Guillaume continues to use stainless steel for all his cuvées and has again produced a range of wines for which transparency is the watchword: they express as faithfully as possible each vineyard’s distinct terroir.

Butteaux is a subsection of Montmain and this wine is fine and clear in colour with a rich and exciting nose, including some bacon fat. It displays a bounding energy, some grassiness, not too fleshy, yet with great concentration and length. Very promising. 
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.

These vines were planted in 1956, so are slightly younger than those in La Forêt. There is a good amount of clay in the soil here, and consequently the nose has a more expansive, earthy feel. The palate is intense, with ripe yet bitter confit-lemon flavours and a salivating finish. A real success this year. Drink 2021-2028.

Guillaume has three hectares in total in Butteaux, and this is made from around 0.75 hectares of 65-year-old vines in a small area with white clay soil. A wine for those with patience, this is brooding and tightly wound on the nose. The palate is slightly more giving, with an initial ball of ripe citrus fruit followed by a piercing, tight mineral finish, as though giving just the briefest of glimpses before snapping shut. Drink 2022-2028.