Chablis 1er Cru Mont de Milieu AOC 2023

A lean, balanced Chablis with fine zestiness. The 2023 shows no oak influence, but rather a very fine reduction and still-perceptible yeast.

Mont de Milieu was first mentioned in 1218 as "montmelliant", later as "mont de milieux" – "middle mountain" – because the border between the Duchy of Burgundy and Champagne ran through the middle of the rise. The vineyard lies close to the appellation's Grands Crus and faces south. Romain and Damien Bouchard own 0.75 hectares here on white clay and Kimmeridgian limestone. The vines were planted in 1995 and, due to a virus, half were uprooted and replanted in 2016.

Chardonnay, hand-harvested on 13.09.2023, followed by spontaneous fermentation and 13 months of ageing in large oak foudres. On 20.11.2024, coarsely filtered, sulphured to 73 mg/L and bottled. The Bouchard brothers founded Domaine de l'Enclos in 2016 from the family inheritance, farm organically and have incorporated biodynamic principles since 2017; in the gravity-flow cellar beneath the estate, gravity replaces every pump.

Dense and intense, yet vibrantly agile and lean, with a round mouthfeel at first that becomes increasingly firm, a touch of tannin and a lively, fine acidity. Aromatically floral and fragrant, lightly citrusy and with a white-fleshed fruit character, with fine salinity in an intense finish. On the nose beforehand, chalk and crushed oyster shells with a touch of iodine sea breeze, as well as crisp stone fruit.

With shellfish and seafood, with sashimi and with pale fish with lemon butter.

Wild yeasts, no fining, only a gentle filtration at the end: 13.5% vol., dry.