2010 Domaine Louis Michel et Fils Chablis Butteaux Vieilles Vignes 1er Cru

Michel’s 2010 Chablis Butteaux Vieilles Vignes boasts serious depth. In 2010, the Vieilles Vignes is rich, powerful and seductive. Honey, almonds and succulent peaches wrap around the palate as this deeply resonant, textured wine shows off its class and pedigree. Endless layers of fruit continue to build through to the finish. This is a dazzling effort. Anticipated maturity: 2013+. (Not yet released) Guillaume Gicqueau-Michel describes 2011 as a synthesis of 2009 and 2010, with the fleshiness of the former and the tension of the latter. Yields came in around historical averages, as opposed to 2010, which was down 20% across the board. The 2011s were born with considerable flesh, and were therefore spent less time on their lees than normal, with the exception of the grand crus. I tasted all of the 2011s from tank. Michel planned to bottle his 2011 premier crus in October 2012 and the grand crus the following spring. By comparison the 2010s saw extremely long fermentations, partly because of the estate’s reliance on natural yeasts. Like all growers in Chablis in this vintage, Michel described the vintage as significantly influenced by a complicated flowering that lowered yields and produced a high incidence of shatter and shot grapes. The 2010 grand crus were bottled in mid-April 2012. I was surprised by how well the wines are drinking today. Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802