2022 Moreau-Naudet, Chablis, Forèts Premier Cru, White Burgundy, France.
The beautifully stony and complex Forèts Premier Cru Chablis from Virginie Moreau at Moreau-Naudet is pale straw/gold in the glass and shows off pure terroir character with flinty rock, delicate white flowers, clove spice and a medium/full vibrant palate of lime, green apple, Bosc pear and kiwi fruits, along with leesy notes and lingering wet chalk. The texture, in these Moreau-Naudet Premier Crus, are, asI’ve mentioned before, just the right amount of creamy mouth feel, but are everything you’d want in a serious Premier Cru, with pure mineral tones and chalky finesse and while young, they deliver the goods. These are easily enjoyed, especially with sea foods, poultry and or soft cheeses, I can’t wait to try this Forets again with sushi like Toro and or Saba, raw fatty Tuna and Mackerel respectively. While deep and concentrated, this vintage is much less ripe than the exotic 2020s were and the beautiful natural acidity and salinity really lift this wine and give a more true Chablis profile. Moreau-Naudet’s Forets is made up of two parcels, including an older parcel of 60 year old vines, and is right next to the legendary Vincent Dauvissat’s section of the cru. The second, as importer Grand Cru Selections notes, is made up of younger vines, which are close to 25 years old now and is next door to Raveneau’s parcel of Forèts! There’s an early enjoyment that comes from Forèts, most likely from its distinctive place in the Crus of the fan shell of Chablis and riper conditions, that allows for an early drinking window, as compared to some of the others, like Vaillons and Montée de Tonnerre.
The Domaine Moreau-Naudet, as mentioned before here, are known for these pristine Chardonnays, that show a saline crispness, see a fermentation that is always natural and spontaneous with indigenous yeasts, followed by a long maceration and elevage on lees, which gives a fantastic result in the wine’s textural quality and richness. All of the Chablis are usually aged for an average of 18 months, depending on the vintage, in a combination of stainless steel and well used 600-liter French oak barrels and bottled largely unfiltered. It should be noted that Forèts is among the most geologically diverse of the 1 Crus in the Chablis region, noted for its power and intensity. The soils here are made up of a variety of different clays and decomposed rock over the classic ancient limestone, with a southeastern exposure makes for a unique microclimate. Things at this estate have not been easy and Virginie Moreau, as noted here, has bravely carried on after the tragic death of her husband Stéphane in 2016 and continues the consistent excellence found at Moreau-Naudet in her latest releases. As mentioned in prior reviews, this is a winery that prides itself on transparency and old world charm, of the brilliant Moreau-Naudet lineup, so the regular Chablis AC is the only wine in their cellar that sees any new oak, helping provide the seasoning for those barrels which end up in the Premier Cru program, like this one that sees only used wood. It is always a treat to drink these rarities from Moreau-Naudet, especially out of magnum, as I did here, and I highly recommend searching these wines out.
($75 Est.) 94 Points, grapelive