Description
Domaine Louis Moreau, Chablis AOC
The Moreau name has been synonymous with quality and tradition in Chablis for more than 150 years now, and since 1994, Louis Moreau has been guiding his domaine to new heights of success. Small wonder then that their flagship, village appellation Chablis is a pitch-perfect encapsulation of why this region’s wines have remained so popular for so long. Here, in the northernmost corner of Burgundy, a special relationship exists between ancient marine geology, known as Kimmeridgian limestone, and the Chardonnay grape. The fossils of shells and sea life that you find in rocks scattered across the vineyard seem to transfer directly into a pronounced minerality in the wines, and Louis Moreau is a master at capturing that terroir magic. With an irresistible balance of snappy fruit, citrus, and sea salt alongside the classic oyster shell minerals, this is the perfect, bone-dry white wine to have on hand all year round.
After settling in Chablis in 1814, the Moreau family quickly became smitten with the wines that their new home produced. By the end of the 19th century, their love affair with Chablis had translated into significant vineyard holdings, scattered across the region, and then into a label, J. Moreau & Fils, bottling wine from both their own parcels and from purchased fruit. After graduating from Fresno State, right here in California, and working for several wineries in the Golden State, Louis returned to France, where he used his inherited vineyard holdings to establish Domaine Louis Moreau. With a total of 50 hectares of vines, this domaine is now one of the most important producers in the region, known for its focus on classically styled wines that offer tremendous value, from the Petit all the way up to the Grand Crus.
Given his agricultural degree and his experience working the vines in California, it is no surprise that farming is key to Louis. All his vineyards are certified sustainable, and he is in the process of converting the Premier and Grand Crus to fully organic. In the cellar, he uses native yeast fermentation and is a firm believer in using only stainless steel for aging, with the only exception being the Grand Cru of Valmur (more on that wine later!). The AOC Chablis spends at least four months in the tanks following natural malolactic fermentation, aging on the fine lees before bottling.
Thanks to the Moreau team’s meticulous farming, and to the fact that the average age of the vines is 40 years, the fruit they harvest is pristine and near-perfect in warm, sunny vintages like 2022. Though the wine is super-fresh, having only landed stateside in the last couple of months, it is already singing right out of the bottle. Serve it cool, around 48-50 degrees, in a Burgundy stem and you’ll first notice the brilliant, straw-gold color. Then you’ll be walloped with crunchy green apples, barely ripe pears, white flowers, lemon-lime zest, green almonds, honeysuckle, and of course loads of sea salt-laden, oyster shell minerals. The bright interplay of fruit and acid is perfectly balanced by a soft, elegant structure. Like all the best Chablis, it is wonderfully easy to drink, even on its own, but lacks nothing in complexity. Pair it with anything from the raw seafood bar, especially oysters, or with flaky, white fish in a simple preparation, and watch it really shine. It’s always a good idea to have a top-notch Chablis around the house, or in the cellar, so take advantage of our six pack price and stock up!
