Description
Domaine Louis Moreau, Chablis Grand Cru “Valmur”
The über-classic, drink-me-daily Chablis from this morning’s offer is good for almost any occasion, but when you crave something truly profound and impactful, you should go right to the top. That’s where you will find Louis Moreau’s 2019 Grand Cru “Valmur,” a towering monument to what the world’s best white wine can achieve. Sure, this is not an everyday kind of wine for most of us, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t an outstanding level of value here, too. That’s the basic story of Chablis: it offers a tremendous quality to value ratio at every level. Moreau’s 2019 Valmur is bursting with aromatic complexity, and it has a beautiful balance of powerful structure and elegant texture, yet it costs much less than every other white wine of similar pedigree. If you want to enjoy the best of white Burgundy for under $100, there’s simply no better option than this exciting bonus discovery.
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 large 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 background 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. This relatively large vineyard is known primarily for its amphitheater shape which allows for maximum sun exposure, leading to a reputation as the most powerful of the five Chablis Grand Crus. But the key, as usual, lies in the balance that exists between the parcels near the top of the hill, where the soil is almost pure Kimmeridgian and the wind cools the vines, and the lower levels that are dense with clay and drenched in sunshine. Louis has holdings throughout the cru, and his talents in blending these parcels to achieve a zen-like balance between power and mineral finesse are immense.
The propensity towards power is why Louis has always used older, 500-liter oak barrels for fermentation and aging his Valmur. The wood acts as a calming agent, taming and harnessing the inherent richness and structure just enough to help the Chablisienne minerality shine through. Serve this exceptional Grand Cru in a big, Burgundy stem at around 50 degrees after a brief decant, then sit back and enjoy the show. Multiple layers of ripe stone fruits, lime leaves, honeysuckle, citrus blossom, dried almonds, flint, and lemon curd all unfold in a brilliant display of aromatic complexity. The palate is richly textured, yet perfectly poised with that almost magical interplay of mineral laden acidity and soft, silky fruit. A wine with this much pedigree always deserves a luxurious meal, and a roast chicken with truffles is a heavenly match. Villages Chablis should be your weekday go-to, but when a special weekend dinner rolls around, having a bottle of Grand Cru on hand is the pro move—and, given the tremendous value, you should grab a few bottles so you’re always ready to impress!
