Chablis Vaudésir
Grand CruChardonnay.
Site: a famous vineyard whose relief has no equivalent in Burgundy. Its round shape and steep slope evoke an ancient amphitheater. There are two major exposures: one is due south in the northern section and the other south west in the southern section. It is one of the largest among the seven Grand Crus of Chablis.
History & tradition: the name comes the French "chemin des vaudésirs" (path of the vaudésirs) cutting the vineyard down the middle. In the sixties, when the Chablis vineyards were all but abandoned, Robert Drouhin recognized the potential of this region which had been ravaged by the phylloxera disease a century before. He was one of the first Burgundy propriétaires who set about revitalizing the area.
Soil: the Kimmeridgian limestone contains millions of tiny marine fossils embedded in a kind of whitish mortar which may have been once the bottom of the sea...hundreds of million years ago. This marine origin gives the wines of Chablis their unique flavour.
Drouhin estate: 1.4 ha. (3.5 acres).
Biological cultivation since 1990 and biodynamic cultivation since 1999.
Soil maintenance: age-old methods. Ploughing: "buttage" (hilling up around the vine-stocks) in autumn; "débuttage" (ploughing back in spring); work between the rows and the vine stocks done with manual tools only.
Treatment: only authorized products for biological cultivation are used - infusions and macerations of plant materials, sulfur and copper, powdered rock. Natural predators are not eliminated.
Plantation density: 8,000 to 10,000 stocks/ha.
Pruning: double Guyot "Vallée de la Marne" (for its resistance to frost).
Yield: we aim for a lower yield, such as it existed before the new law. This yield is therefore the present maximum yield minus 20%.
Average yield at the Domaine: 46.62hl/ha (the yield currently authorized for the appellation is now 54hl/ha).
Harvesting: by hand.
Pressing: very slow so as to respect the fruit. Juices from the last pressings are not retained.
Type: in oak barrel (0% new wood).
Length: 12 months.
Origin of the wood: French oak forests.
Weathering of the wood: Joseph Drouhin insists on total control of the weathering for a period of 3 years, one of the contributing elements to the elegance of the wine.
Throughout the ageing process, decisions are taken only after careful tasting evaluation. The data obtained is completed through technical analysis. As with every other Joseph Drouhin wine, absolute priority is given to the true expression of terroir and character of the vintage.
"An exquisite wine often drunk on its own as an aperitif. Pure and limpid colour, with a faint greenish hint. On the nose, fresh aromas of flower and fruit (lemony flavours) and, at times, spicy notes of coriander. On the palate: harmonious aromas bringing character and elegance. The magnitude of its Grand Cru origin and the light salty notes from the Kimmeridgian soil are in evidence. Remarkably long and complex persistence in the aftertaste".
It is an exceptional crop. Picking lasted from September 25th to October 4th. We were few to harvest so early, but low yields meant precocious maturity... the sanitary state, acidity and sugar levels were excellent. The year was difficult but the biological culture proved to be successful. We are quite confident to say that 2008 is one of the greatest vintages of the past 25 years. All the wines from the village Chablis to the Grand Crus, depending on their level of appellation, show concentration, richness, freshness, minerality and intense aromas. It could be interesting to lay down these Chablis as their aromatic potential is important. Although very pleasant and seductive when young, you could also keep these Chablis up to 4 or 5 more years, the Premier Crus from 7 to 8 and the Grand Crus to drink from 2011 and the next 12 years.
Temperature: 14°C (55°F).
Cellaring: 5 to 15 years.