PETIT CHABLIS > J MOREAU & FILS

Varietal

100% Chardonnay. Yield: 50 hl/ha.

Tasting notes

Colour: Pale gold with green tints.

Nose: Flavours of citrus fruits (mandarin) and white flowers.

Mouth: Pleasant aromas of peach and yellow fruits with a nice mineral finale as a reminder of the terroir where this wine comes from.

Food and wine pairing

Serve as an aperitif, with oysters and fish tapas. Will also be a good companion to all fish, poultry and white meats, grilled or in creamy sauce.

Serving suggestions

Serve ideally at a temperature of 12°C (54°F).

Ageing potential

This wine can be enjoyed now or kept in the cellar for the next 3 years.

Origin

The Petit Chablis area of appellation covers 1,230 ha of which approximately 1,000 ha are currently under vine.

The vines grow on Portlandian limestone plateaus, with clay from the Tertiary Era.

The Chardonnay grapes used to make this cuvée come from 2 areas selected for their different and complementary characteristics: the "dessus des clos" plateau, which gives the grapes a very high degree of ripeness and a lovely richness on the palate, and the Beine village plateaux, which provide freshness and subtle aromas of citrus fruit and white flowers.

J. Moreau & Fils «Les Petits Dieux» is named after the small Celtic statuettes still dotted around some of the Chablis vineyards.

Vinification and maturing

Musts and grapes were brought in the winery for a long pressing. Once the juice was settled, the fermentation started with the addition of selected yeasts in stainless steel tanks under controlled temperatures (20°C.) to preserve as much fruit as possible. In order to get a wine more supple, we let the malolactic fermentation begin 10 days after the alcoholic fermentation; it ended by the end of November. The wine was then aged on partial lees for 4 to 5 months.

Vintage : 2019

2019 was, again, a unique and very changeable year. It brought its own stresses for a great many producers, while harvesting passed without a hitch. Quantities were distinctly limited (down between 10 and 30%).

This is the result of all the various weather episodes possible which affected the vines depending on their location: Frost, hail, tricky flowering, drought, and heatwave in July. The consolation was that the juice is of very good quality, with high sugar levels and nice concentration. And contrary to what we might have expected, the acid balance was very nice.

Since the start of the 20th century, every vintage that has ended with a “9” has been wonderful. The only downside to this one is below-average volumes.