2006 Chablis Valmur

The Moreaus’ 2006 Chablis Valmur is scented with lime, cardamom, crushed stone, white pepper, musky-sweet, narcissus-like florality, and hints of tropical fruit. The themes of pungency, perfume and ripeness continue on the palate, where grapefruit and lime offer refreshment, and toasted nuts and brown spices hint at the influence of barrel as well no doubt as the character of very ripe fruit. Yet for all of its amplitude and honeyed richness, this is highly expressive of dimensions that can only be termed “mineral,” and pungency here does not preclude a refined texture and a soothing finish. This should be interesting to follow for at least 6-8 years. There are only two and a half barrels of the Moreau 2006 Blanchots, a wine uncomfortably marked by wood and the effects of recent bottling when I tasted it, so that I have elected to defer further description or rating. Christian and Fabien Moreau are engaged in an ambitious plan to pull their domaine (whose grand cru-rich acreage the family reclaimed in 2002) to the front ranks of their region. Even the generic wines are hand-harvested (although the A.O.C. Chablis is supplemented by some purchased fruit) and a vibrating trie de table surely put to good effect in the most recent vintages. The rotation between tank and barrel and the percentage of new wood vary for each vintage and individual cru, and the father-son team here plainly place proud emphasis on their flexibility and experimental-mindedness. All this said, my reaction to their 2006s and 2005s was to say the least muted when compared with the accolades that these wines have garnered in other quarters, so I hope to discover that I caught the wines at a difficult time (and of course to re-taste them). Importer: Frederick Wildman & Sons, New York, NY; tel. (212) 355-0700