2024 Domaine Moreau-Naudet Montmains 1er Cru Chablis | 95 Points

🏆 95 Points | One of Chablis' Most Exciting Premier Cru Producers – And a Vineyard of Extraordinary Old Vines!

95 Points – La Revue du Vin de France | 94 Points – Tim Atkin MW | 93 Points – Decanter

A Remarkable 2024 Premier Cru from Virginie Moreau – One of the Most Respected Growers in Chablis!

2024 Domaine Moreau-Naudet Montmains Premier Cru Chablis

Chablis, Burgundy, France

NEW RELEASE | RRP $180

What happens when one of Chablis' most exciting producers takes Chardonnay from an extraordinary Premier Cru vineyard, with vines averaging approximately 70 years of age, and makes a wine of remarkable purity, texture and mineral precision?

You get one hell of a Chablis!

And this is a seriously exciting wine.

2024 Domaine Moreau-Naudet Montmains Premier Cru Chablis.

From a producer that has become one of the most talked-about names in Chablis.

A remarkable vineyard on the left bank of the Serein River.

Old vines rooted in blue clay and ancient limestone.

A winemaking philosophy that values fruit concentration, natural fermentation and extended maturation.

And a 2024 vintage that has produced beautifully fresh, mineral-driven wines.

But here's what makes this particular release fascinating.

For the 2024 Montmains, the domaine used no oak at all!

That's right.

While many great Premier Cru Chablis wines undergo some barrel maturation, this release was fermented and matured entirely in tank to preserve its remarkable freshness and mineral purity.

And the critics have been impressed.

95 POINTS – LA REVUE DU VIN DE FRANCE!

94 POINTS – TIM ATKIN MW!

93 POINTS – DECANTER!

This is exactly the sort of extraordinary European Chardonnay I love bringing to Liquid Vibe.

Domaine Moreau-Naudet – One of the Great Modern Stories of Chablis

Domaine Moreau-Naudet has a fascinating history.

The estate traces its origins to 1950, when René Moreau and Marie Naudet married, bringing together two families with roots in the vineyards of Chablis.

But the domaine's modern reputation was largely established by their son Stéphane Moreau.

Stéphane took responsibility for the family estate in 1991.

And he gradually developed a very different approach to Chablis.

At a time when many producers were focused on early picking, stainless-steel fermentation and crisp, lean wines, Stéphane wanted something more.

Greater fruit concentration.

More texture.

Longer maturation.

And wines that combined the unmistakable mineral character of Chablis with beautiful richness and depth.

He believed that great Chablis shouldn't simply be acidic.

It should have substance.

It should have personality.

And it should reflect the extraordinary vineyards from which it came.

That philosophy helped transform Moreau-Naudet into one of the most respected names in the region.

Virginie Moreau – Continuing an Extraordinary Legacy

In 2016, Stéphane Moreau passed away unexpectedly.

It was a devastating loss.

But his wife, Virginie Moreau, was determined to continue the work they had built together.

Supported by the domaine's experienced vineyard and cellar team, Virginie took responsibility for the estate.

And she has done an extraordinary job.

The philosophy remains firmly rooted in the principles Stéphane established.

Careful vineyard work.

Organic-minded farming.

Low yields.

Harvesting when the fruit has achieved proper flavour ripeness.

Natural fermentation.

And thoughtful maturation.

Today, Domaine Moreau-Naudet holds a prestigious two-star classification in La Revue du Vin de France's Guide Vert.

That's a remarkable achievement.

And an indication of just how highly regarded these wines have become.

Montmains Premier Cru – One of Chablis' Great Left-Bank Vineyards

Here's where the story becomes particularly fascinating.

Montmains is one of the great Premier Cru vineyards on the left bank of the Serein River.

And it has a very different personality from some of the celebrated right-bank vineyards.

The soils are particularly interesting.

Blue clay.

Limestone.

Ancient Kimmeridgian geological formations.

Kimmeridgian limestone is one of the defining geological features of Chablis.

These Jurassic-era sediments are associated with the region's famous limestone-rich soils and fossilised marine material.

But Montmains is not simply about limestone.

The relatively deep clay soils can provide additional water-holding capacity and influence the way vines develop.

And that combination can help produce Chablis with both concentration and beautiful mineral structure.

The best Montmains wines are often wonderfully balanced.

Citrus purity.

Orchard fruit.

Fine chalky texture.

And a distinctive saline finish.

This is textbook Premier Cru Chablis.

Here's Something Most People Don't Know – The Domaine's Montmains Comes from Several Historic Climats

One of the most fascinating details about this wine is that it isn't sourced from a single uniform vineyard block.

The domaine works approximately 0.65 hectares of old vines across different parts of the Montmains Premier Cru area.

These include:

Les Monts Mains

Les Bouts des Butteaux

Vaux Miolot

Each parcel contributes something different.

The limestone-rich sections can contribute beautiful tension and mineral structure.

The deeper clay soils of Vaux Miolot can bring additional fruit concentration and texture.

And when the parcels are combined, the result is a wine with remarkable balance.

But here's another extraordinary detail.

The vines average approximately 70 years of age.

That's seriously old.

And old vines can be a wonderful asset in great Chardonnay vineyards.

Established root systems.

Naturally moderated vigour.

Low yields.

And the potential for exceptional fruit concentration.

It's one of the reasons Moreau-Naudet's Montmains has such a distinctive personality.

The 2024 Vintage – A Return to Classical Chablis

The 2024 growing season in Chablis was challenging.

Cool and wet weather created significant disease pressure.

Frost and hail affected parts of the region.

And yields were reduced in many vineyards.

But here's what makes the vintage particularly interesting.

The surviving fruit often retained beautiful natural acidity.

And for producers willing to work meticulously in the vineyard, the vintage offered the opportunity to make Chablis with wonderful freshness and precision.

That's exactly what makes the Moreau-Naudet Montmains so compelling.

It's not an enormous, heavily textured wine.

It's a wine with beautiful fruit concentration, but also remarkable energy.

And the mineral structure is absolutely gorgeous.

No Oak in 2024 – A Fascinating Winemaking Decision

This is one of the most interesting details about the wine.

Domaine Moreau-Naudet is famous for its thoughtful use of extended maturation and older oak.

But for the 2024 Montmains, the approach was different.

No oak was used.

The wine was fermented and matured in tank.

And the objective was straightforward.

Preserve freshness.

Protect fruit purity.

And allow the extraordinary mineral character of Montmains to take centre stage.

Natural yeast fermentation remains part of the domaine's philosophy.

The result is a Chardonnay with remarkable definition.

Beautiful citrus.

Fine orchard fruit.

Chalky structure.

And a long, savoury finish.

Sometimes the most exciting winemaking decision is knowing what not to do.

Tasting Notes – Lemon, Nashi Pear, Mirabelle Plum and Crushed Chalk

The 2024 Moreau-Naudet Montmains is a beautifully detailed Chablis.

The aromatics reveal:

• Fresh lemon peel

• Orange zest

• Nashi pear

• Mirabelle plum

• White peach

• Delicate floral notes

• Fine savoury spice

• Crushed chalk

• Subtle fresh herbs

• Saline mineral character

The palate is absolutely gorgeous.

There's wonderful orchard fruit concentration.

Pear.

White peach.

Mirabelle plum.

And beautiful citrus freshness.

But the wine never feels heavy.

Instead, everything is held together by vibrant natural acidity and a fine chalky structure.

The texture is beautifully composed.

Generous enough to provide depth.

But precise enough to maintain that unmistakable Chablis personality.

And the finish?

Long. Chalky. Saline. Beautifully persistent.

This is serious Premier Cru Chardonnay.

95 Points – La Revue du Vin de France

The 2024 Montmains has received an outstanding:

95 POINTS – LA REVUE DU VIN DE FRANCE!

One of France's most respected wine publications.

And a wonderful endorsement of the quality Virginie Moreau and her team have achieved.

94 Points – Tim Atkin MW

The wine also received:

94 POINTS – TIM ATKIN MW!

Reviewed by Christy Canterbury MW for TimAtkin.com.

The assessment highlights beautiful peach fruit, savoury spice, crushed chalk and lovely mid-palate concentration.

But what makes the wine particularly impressive is its precision.

Fine acidity.

Beautifully controlled texture.

And a long, mineral-driven finish.

The decision to avoid oak in this vintage allows the fruit and vineyard character to shine.

93 Points – Decanter

Charles Curtis MW awarded the wine:

93 POINTS – DECANTER!

His assessment highlights the combination of fresh citrus, nectarine and flinty minerality.

The wine has lovely balance between fruit concentration and vibrant acidity.

And the finish is beautifully persistent.

He suggests a drinking window extending from 2026 to 2032.

Another excellent endorsement.

Why Moreau-Naudet Is Different from Many Other Chablis Producers

This is something I find particularly fascinating.

For years, Chablis was often associated with extremely lean, sharp, stainless-steel Chardonnay.

And there are some magnificent wines made in that style.

But Stéphane Moreau believed Chablis could offer something more.

He wanted wines with texture.

With depth.

With natural concentration.

And with the ability to age beautifully.

He was willing to harvest a little later than many of his neighbours.

He embraced natural fermentation.

And he extended maturation to allow the wines to develop complexity.

Virginie continues that philosophy today.

The result is Chablis that combines beautiful fruit concentration with extraordinary mineral precision.

These are wines with both generosity and tension.

And that's a wonderful combination.

Cellaring Potential

The 2024 Montmains has beautiful natural acidity and excellent structure.

It's already an exciting wine.

But I'd also be very happy to put a few bottles away.

Suggested drinking window: 2026–2032, based on Decanter's assessment.

With careful storage, the wine may develop additional savoury complexity over time.

Expect the youthful citrus and orchard fruit characters to evolve towards deeper nutty and mineral notes.

Serve at approximately 11–12°C, rather than ice-cold.

And give the wine time to open in the glass.

Food Pairings

This is a magnificent wine for seafood.

I'd recommend:

• Freshly shucked oysters

• Scallops with lemon butter

• Grilled King George whiting

• Southern rock lobster

• Fresh crab

• Roast chicken with herbs

• Mushroom risotto

• Comté or aged Gruyère

Personally, I'd love this with freshly shucked oysters.

The combination of citrus purity, chalky minerality and saline freshness would be absolutely sensational.

Why We Love It at Liquid Vibe

Because this is exactly what makes great Chablis so exciting.

A remarkable family domaine.

A fascinating winemaking legacy.

An extraordinary Premier Cru vineyard.

Old vines averaging approximately 70 years.

Blue clay and Kimmeridgian limestone.

Natural fermentation.

No oak in the 2024 vintage.

And outstanding critical acclaim.

Look at what you're getting.

2024 Domaine Moreau-Naudet Montmains Premier Cru Chablis

Chablis, Burgundy, France

Winemaker – Virginie Moreau

Historic Family Domaine Established 1950

Montmains Premier Cru – Left Bank of the Serein

Approximately 0.65 Hectares of Old Vines

Average Vine Age – Approximately 70 Years

Blue Clay and Kimmeridgian Limestone

Natural Yeast Fermentation

No Oak Used in 2024

95 Points – La Revue du Vin de France

94 Points – Tim Atkin MW

93 Points – Decanter

NEW RELEASE

RRP $180

This is serious Chablis.

Beautifully refined.

Wonderfully mineral.

Full of character.

And made by one of the most exciting producers in Burgundy.

2024 DOMAINE MOREAU-NAUDET MONTMAINS PREMIER CRU CHABLIS

CHABLIS, BURGUNDY, FRANCE

95 POINTS – LA REVUE DU VIN DE FRANCE!

94 POINTS – TIM ATKIN MW!

93 POINTS – DECANTER!

RRP $180

OLD VINES. BLUE CLAY. ANCIENT LIMESTONE. NO OAK. EXTRAORDINARY MINERAL PRECISION.

LEMON. NASHI PEAR. MIRABELLE PLUM. WHITE PEACH. CRUSHED CHALK. SALINE MINERALITY. BEAUTIFUL LENGTH.

ONE OF CHABLIS' MOST EXCITING PREMIER CRU WINES – FROM A PRODUCER EVERY SERIOUS BURGUNDY LOVER SHOULD KNOW!