The history of this domaine is a bit convoluted but makes enough sense after some explaining. Jean-Joseph Moreau, a tonnelier from Montbard (a medium-sized city about midway between Chablis and Dijon), founded the firm of J. Moreau et fils in 1814. Notably, a fine parcel located within the Grand Cru les Clos and near its bottom limits was purchased from l’Hôpital de Chablis in 1904. It is known today as the “Clos des Hospices” and makes a wine of the same name. After over a decade in Canada (where he was a lumberjack), Christian Moreau returned to Chablis and worked alongside his father Guy in making wine at J. Moreau et fils. In 1974, one-half of the company was sold to the firm Hiram Walker. A little over ten years later, the remaining shares were sold. The firm as a whole was then sold to the large Burgundian conglomerate Domaines Boisset. Christian Moreau continued on as winemaker for some time making for example the spectacular ’89, ’90 and ’92 J. Moreau et fils wines. But the business had fundamentally changed and, following the 1997 vintage, Christian left J. Moreau et fils. For several vintages, Christian Moreau produced négociant wines under the name Christian Moreau Père et fils, with the “fils” referring to his three sons Philippe, Patrick and Fabien. After earning a degree in Oenology at Dijon and a Master’s in Business Administration in Bordeaux, Fabien became the sixth generation of the family to become involved in winemaking. After a prolonged legal struggle, the Moreau family (both Christian and his cousin Louis) has retained the rights to their longtime family vineyards.
All grapes, from Petit Chablis to Grand Cru, are manually harvested at Moreau – a rarity. The grapes are then taken back to the winery in small trailers. The wines are sorted on a table de trie and then pressed pneumatically. The wines then go to small vats that hold between 25 to 50 hectoliters of wine.
To say that it was once unthinkable to consider Christian Moreau aging wine in oak barrels is an understatement. When he first spoke to me of the possibility I was very surprised indeed! Today, oak is used – but very carefully. Premier and Grand Crus see between 1/3 to ½ barrel aging, most usually in one to three year old oak barrels and just a splash of new oak. Furthermore, when oak is used, the wine often spends a lesser-than-normal amount of time in barrel, sometimes as little as four or six months.
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26 av Oberwesel 89800 CHABLIS
03 86 42 86 34
fax : 03 86 42 84 62
mobile : 06 72 04 88 83
contact@domainechristianmoreau.com
http://www.domainechristianmoreau.com
“Here is our first report after harvest 2006 that ended September 25th.We had a fast flowering period in the middle of June which lasted only 8days in most parcels and was the cause of some” coulure”and “millerandage”.The end of June and the month of July was really hot and the vineyard suffered from such heat ...
Profound concentration and acidity. Very sweet, perhaps too oaky, good power and density. **(*) ...
Another step up in power from the previous [2003 Chablis Grand Cru, Michel Laroche]. Even more profound acidity and brawn. Clean, mineral and precise. *** ...
Classic nose of slate and green apples with bracing acidity and power. *** ...
“Du jamais vu! Les vendanges vont débuter aujourd’hui dans l’Yonne…” said the Yonne Republicaine, the largest newspaper in Chablis’ department. The date was August 21st, and the satellite appellations surrounding Chablis (near the village of Joigny) were to begin the earliest harvest in, well, a very, very long time. Chablis started a few ...