Le Domaine d'Henri Fourchaume Chablis Premier Cru 2018

Le Domaine d'Henri Fourchaume Chablis Premier Cru 2018

Sourced from their 5 hectares in Fourchaume, average vine age of 40 years old. Wild fermented, 85% in tank with the remainder in barrel. Wine spends 15 to 19 months of ageing before bottling – Margaux thinks it essential to keep ageing in these larger vessels before bottling. Having a second winter means the wine settles slowly via temperature, meaning no need for filtration or fining when bottled.

On the nose, this wine shows classic brioche and reductive notes, tinged with citrus and ripe melon. Bracing saline acidity balances out the ripe fruit middle and everything comes together for a wine with great length and elegance.

After 45 years at the helm of Domaine Laroche, Michel Laroche embarked on a new project with Margaux,his daughter. Beginning with the 2012 vintage, Domaine d’Henri is named after Michel’s father Henri.Reclaiming the Laroche family vineyards of 22 hct which include 17 plots across Petit Chablis, Chablis, 1er Cru Fourchaume and Beauroy.

Perhaps their pièce de résistance is the vineyard holdings in the 1er Cru of Fourchaume, this escarpment of Kimmeridgian bedrock which flows North through the Grand Cru sites situated just a km or so south.  Fourchaume alongside Montee de Tonnerre are arguably the most sought after 1er Cru vineyards, or at least on the right bank of the appellation.

Le Domaine d'Henri Fourchaume Chablis Premier Cru 2018