2015 Burgundy: Chablis en primeur

10 Jan 2017

Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos2015 Chablis: top terroirs in an excellent year

Benoît Droin, Christian Moreau

We kick our Burgundy en primeur campaign off, as ever, up in the northern postcodes of Chablis. 2015 was a mostly easy growing season here. A mild winter and early start to the growing season were not cut short by late frosts. A wet spring may have seemed unwelcome at the time, but in fact proved invaluable as the months ahead turned hot and dry, and growers across the region turned out clean, healthy fruit. The only difficulty was a hailstorm on the last night of August which badly damaged some vineyards, but it was small in comparison to the devastating hailstorm that struck in 2016 and will see volumes down severely next year.

With over 14 generations behind him spanning 500 years making wine on the same slopes, Benoît Droin has a lot of family lore to draw on. As a believer in firm acidity over ripeness, Benoît prefers to pick early, which gives his wines a tingling energy that can sustain them for years in bottle. Site is important in Chablis, and it is fascinating to taste across the different Droin cuvées and see how the character of the wine changes. While Montmains is more fruit-driven, Vaucoupin bursts with energy, and Fourchaume most exemplifies the classic Chablis oyster shell character. The grand crus have the depth to reward long aging.

The other star in our Chablis portfolio is Domaine Christian Moreau. The Moreaus might seem like relative newcomers, having been on the Chablis scene for merely six generations, but current winemaker Fabien Moreau brilliantly leverages terroir to produce intense, complex wines, while also managing the estate's transition towards full organic status (and embracing more biodynamic practices). /NT

View the wines listed so far

Thursday 12 January, 5-8pm: 2015 Burgundy barrel sample tasting
Bishopsgate shop
Walkaround
£25 per person inc VAT (redeemable against 2015 Burgundy en primeur purchases over £250)

Offered subject to remaining unsold for shipment 2017