
- 92
2023 Domaine Moreau-Naudet Vaillons Chablis Premier Cru
Founded in the 1950s and now led by Virginie Moreau, this long-established Chablis estate has built a reputation for wines of purity, depth and precision. Virginie continues the legacy of her late husband Stéphane, who steered the domaine toward organic farming, indigenous fermentations and long lees ageing in a mix of stainless steel and neutral oak. The vineyards, centred around Préhy, Courgis and Chablis itself, are managed by hand and cropped at modest yields to capture the tension and minerality that define the region’s greatest sites. Moreau-Naudet's wines are recognised for their textural weight, unforced detail and faithful reflection of terroir, aligning them with the classic, artisanal style of Chablis.
Vaillons is one of Moreau-Naudet's anchor crus, drawing from Les Epinottes, Roncières and Sécher (the latter notably old vines). The wine is fermented and aged in a mix of tank and seasoned oak, including large 600-litre barrels, with each parcel handled separately before blending. In this way the vintage's freshness, richness and site variation all contribute to Vaillons' characteristic breadth and back-bone.
Other Reviews....
Sourced from 60- to 77-year-old vines in four of this premier cru's climats, including Séchet, Moreau-Naudet’s 2023 Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons is vinified 70% in tank, with the remainder in oak (old 228-liter barrels and a few 600-liter foudres). Opening from the glass with an expressive bouquet of tangerine zest, white flowers, pear and oyster shell, it’s followed by a medium to full-bodied palate with ample chalky extract and a saline finish. It’s broader than Beauregard but simultaneously racier than Montmains.
92-94 points
Kristaps Karklins - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
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