2024 Domaine Moreau-Naudet Chablis | Old Vines | Burgundy France

🍷 One of Chablis' Great Cult Producers – 20 Months on Lees for a Village Chablis? Absolutely Extraordinary!

2024 Domaine Moreau-Naudet Chablis | Burgundy, France

A Remarkable Chardonnay from One of Chablis' Most Respected Small Growers – With a Fascinating Connection to Dauvissat and Dagueneau!

2024 Domaine Moreau-Naudet Chablis

Chablis, Burgundy, France

NEW RELEASE | RRP $110

What if I told you that one of the most exciting Chablis producers in Burgundy makes its village Chardonnay with the sort of care and patience normally reserved for considerably more expensive wines?

And what if I told you that the wine spends an extraordinary 20 months on its lees?

Not a Grand Cru.

Not a Premier Cru.

A village Chablis!

Well, that's exactly what we have here.

2024 Domaine Moreau-Naudet Chablis.

And this is one seriously exciting wine.

Beautiful citrus fruit.

Wonderful saline minerality.

Extraordinary texture.

Fine chalky precision.

And a long, vibrant finish.

But here's what makes this wine particularly fascinating.

The late Stéphane Moreau was deeply influenced by some of France's most extraordinary winemakers, including Vincent Dauvissat, Didier Dagueneau and Nadi Foucault of Clos Rougeard.

And his philosophy helped transform a relatively little-known family estate into one of Chablis' most admired producers.

Today, his wife Virginie continues that remarkable legacy.

This is exactly the sort of wine I love discovering at Liquid Vibe!

Domaine Moreau-Naudet – One of Chablis' Great Hidden Treasures

The Moreau-Naudet story begins in 1950, when the families of Marie Naudet and René Moreau came together.

The estate was originally part of the traditional Chablis winegrowing landscape.

But its transformation into a genuinely remarkable producer began when Stéphane Moreau took control in 1993.

Stéphane had a very different idea about what Chablis could be.

At a time when many producers were focusing on early harvesting, efficient winemaking and relatively rapid bottling, he wanted something more.

He wanted wines with greater depth.

More texture.

More character.

And a stronger expression of their vineyards.

He began reducing yields.

Paying extraordinary attention to vineyard health.

Harvesting by hand.

Using natural yeasts.

And allowing the wines to mature for much longer than was conventional.

The results were extraordinary.

The wines developed a reputation for combining the freshness and mineral tension of classic Chablis with remarkable concentration and texture.

Sadly, Stéphane passed away unexpectedly in 2016, shortly before harvest.

His wife Virginie took over the estate and has continued developing its reputation.

And today, Moreau-Naudet is widely regarded as one of Chablis' most compelling small growers.

The Dauvissat Connection – Here's Something Most People Wouldn't Know

One of the most fascinating things about Stéphane Moreau was the winemakers who influenced him.

Vincent Dauvissat.

One of the greatest names in Chablis.

Didier Dagueneau.

The legendary Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc producer.

Nadi Foucault.

Of the extraordinary Clos Rougeard estate in Saumur-Champigny.

Think about those three names for a moment.

Three very different producers.

Three very different wine regions and styles.

But they shared something fundamental.

An obsessive commitment to vineyard quality.

Low yields.

Fruit concentration.

Natural expression.

And a belief that great wine requires patience.

Stéphane brought those ideas back to Chablis.

And rather than simply copying another producer's style, he developed something distinctly his own.

Chablis with generosity, texture and depth – but without losing its extraordinary mineral precision.

That's what makes Moreau-Naudet so fascinating.

Thirty Vineyard Parcels – The Secret Behind This Extraordinary Village Chablis

Here's another detail I absolutely love.

The 2024 Domaine Moreau-Naudet Chablis is assembled from fruit grown across approximately 30 vineyard parcels.

The principal sources are in Préhy and Courgis, south of Chablis.

Additional fruit comes from vineyards around Chablis and Chichée.

These sites offer different soil structures, aspects and growing conditions.

And that diversity allows the domaine to create a wonderfully complex village Chablis.

Most of the vines used are approximately 20 to 30 years old.

But here's the interesting part.

The domaine sells off fruit from its youngest vines rather than automatically including it in the estate bottling.

That's an extraordinary commitment to quality.

Particularly for a village-level wine.

It means the wine is built around carefully selected, established vineyard parcels.

And the result is a Chardonnay with far more depth and personality than many people expect from this appellation.

Kimmeridgian Limestone – The Geological Story Behind Great Chablis

Chablis is one of the most geologically fascinating Chardonnay regions in the world.

Much of its celebrated vineyard landscape is associated with Kimmeridgian limestone and marl, formed from ancient marine sediments.

These deposits contain fossilised marine organisms and shells from a prehistoric sea.

Over millions of years, geological uplift and erosion helped create the rolling hills and slopes that define the region today.

It's a remarkable story.

And the geology plays an important role in the way vines grow.

Soil structure.

Drainage.

Water availability.

Root development.

And vine vigour.

All of these factors can influence the character of the fruit.

Of course, the saline and oyster-shell characters we associate with Chablis aren't literally dissolved fossils being transferred into the wine.

But the interaction between geology, climate, farming and winemaking helps create the distinctive style of the region.

And Moreau-Naudet is a wonderful expression of that character.

Citrus purity. Chalky tension. Saline freshness. Extraordinary length.

The 2024 Vintage – A Challenging Year That Produced Beautifully Classical Chablis

The 2024 growing season was extremely difficult across Chablis.

Frost.

Rain.

Hail.

And intense disease pressure.

Growers faced enormous challenges throughout the season.

Yields were significantly reduced in many vineyards.

But here's what makes great producers so important.

In difficult years, meticulous vineyard management and careful fruit selection can make an extraordinary difference.

Moreau-Naudet's commitment to low yields, hand harvesting and selecting the best fruit helped produce a wine with beautiful energy and precision.

The 2024 is generally tighter and more classically structured than the warmer 2022 and 2023 releases.

There's wonderful citrus freshness.

Fine acidity.

And that beautiful saline mineral character that makes great Chablis so compelling.

This is a vintage for people who love purity, precision and tension in their Chardonnay.

Twenty Months on Lees – This Is Absolutely Extraordinary!

Here's the detail that really separates Moreau-Naudet from so many other Chablis producers.

The 2024 village Chablis spent approximately 20 months ageing on its lees.

Think about that.

Twenty months.

For a village-level Chardonnay.

Many Chablis producers release their village wines after a considerably shorter maturation period.

But Virginie Moreau takes a very different approach.

The fruit is gently pressed over approximately four hours.

Fermentation occurs with indigenous yeasts.

And the wine is raised predominantly in tank.

Then comes the patience.

The wine remains in contact with its lees for an extended period.

Lees are the fine sediment left behind after fermentation, including yeast cells and other particles.

Over time, lees contact can contribute additional texture, savoury complexity and depth.

And when managed carefully, it can do so without overwhelming the wine's fruit purity.

That's exactly what makes Moreau-Naudet so special.

Extraordinary texture without excessive oak.

Depth without heaviness.

Complexity without sacrificing freshness.

And that's a very difficult balance to achieve.

Tasting Notes – Yellow Citrus, White Flowers and Beautiful Saline Minerality

The 2024 Domaine Moreau-Naudet Chablis is a wonderfully detailed wine.

The aromatics reveal:

• Fresh lemon and lemon zest

• Yellow grapefruit

• Crisp pear

• Green apple

• Delicate white flowers

• Subtle acacia blossom

• Fine chalky mineral notes

• Oyster-shell character

• Gentle savoury complexity

The palate is absolutely beautiful.

There's lovely citrus concentration.

Fresh lemon.

Zesty grapefruit.

A touch of orchard fruit.

But what really makes this wine exciting is its texture.

The extended lees maturation contributes a wonderful mouth-coating quality.

Yet the wine remains remarkably fresh.

The acidity is vibrant and beautifully integrated.

A fine chalky grip provides structure.

And the saline mineral character gives the finish extraordinary persistence.

Lemon. Yellow grapefruit. White flowers. Crisp pear. Chalk. Oyster shell. Saline minerality. Beautiful length.

This is serious Chablis.

And it's exactly the sort of wine that reminds you why Chardonnay is such an extraordinary grape variety.

Burgundy Report – A Wonderful Endorsement

Bill Nanson of Burgundy Report reviewed the 2024 Domaine Moreau-Naudet Chablis.

He highlighted its broad aromatic expression, generous palate, vibrant yellow-citrus character and excellent length.

What I particularly love about his assessment is the emphasis on energy.

The wine has breadth and concentration.

But it also has freshness and drive.

And that combination is precisely what makes Moreau-Naudet so exciting.

It's a village Chablis with the presence and texture of something considerably more ambitious.

Why Moreau-Naudet Is Different from Many Other Chablis Producers

This is something I find particularly fascinating.

Chablis has developed an international reputation for lean, mineral-driven Chardonnay.

And at its best, that style can be extraordinary.

But Moreau-Naudet takes a slightly different path.

The domaine is happy to harvest ripe, flavourful fruit.

It embraces natural fermentation.

It uses patient, extended maturation.

And it isn't afraid of texture.

The result is Chablis with more generosity and depth than some of its neighbours.

But the wines never lose their identity.

They're still unmistakably Chablis.

Fresh.

Mineral.

Saline.

And beautifully precise.

It's the combination of generosity and restraint that makes these wines so compelling.

A Producer for Lovers of Dauvissat and Raveneau

If you're passionate about great Chablis, you'll undoubtedly know the names:

Domaine Vincent Dauvissat.

Domaine François Raveneau.

Two of the most celebrated producers in the region.

And while every domaine has its own distinctive personality, Moreau-Naudet belongs in the conversation about serious, terroir-driven Chablis.

Its wines share that commitment to exceptional farming, patient maturation and vineyard expression.

And here's the exciting part.

Moreau-Naudet remains a producer that many Australian Chardonnay lovers haven't yet discovered.

For anyone who appreciates white Burgundy with beautiful texture and mineral precision, this is a domaine well worth exploring.

Cellaring Potential

The 2024 Moreau-Naudet Chablis is beautifully fresh and vibrant.

But the combination of fruit concentration, natural acidity and extended lees maturation gives it excellent potential for further development.

Suggested drinking window: 2026–2034, with potential beyond under excellent storage conditions.

I'd happily open a bottle now.

But I'd also put a few away.

As the wine matures, the youthful citrus and floral characters should develop deeper savoury, nutty and honeyed complexity.

And that wonderful saline mineral structure should continue to provide freshness and definition.

Food Pairings

This is a magnificent food wine.

I'd recommend:

• Freshly shucked oysters

• King George whiting

• Grilled scallops

• Southern rock lobster

• Grilled snapper

• Roast chicken with lemon and thyme

• Mushroom risotto

• Comté or Gruyère

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

The combination of citrus freshness, saline minerality and fine acidity would be absolutely sensational.

Why We Love It at Liquid Vibe

Because this wine has everything I love about discovering great Burgundy.

A fascinating family domaine.

An extraordinary winemaking legacy.

A remarkable connection to Dauvissat, Dagueneau and Clos Rougeard.

Beautifully farmed vineyards.

Fruit selected from approximately 30 parcels.

Natural yeast fermentation.

And an extraordinary 20 months on lees.

Look at what you're getting.

2024 Domaine Moreau-Naudet Chablis

Chablis, Burgundy, France

Winemaker – Virginie Moreau and Team

Historic Family Domaine

Inspired by Vincent Dauvissat and Didier Dagueneau

Approximately 30 Vineyard Parcels

Predominantly 20–30-Year-Old Vines

Hand-Harvested Fruit

Indigenous Yeast Fermentation

Approximately 20 Months on Lees

Beautifully Textured, Mineral-Driven Chardonnay

NEW RELEASE

RRP $110

This is serious Chablis.

A wine with history.

Pedigree.

Beautiful texture.

Extraordinary mineral precision.

And wonderful ageing potential.

And for anyone who loves discovering the great small growers of Burgundy, Moreau-Naudet is a name you really need to know.

2024 DOMAINE MOREAU-NAUDET CHABLIS

CHABLIS, BURGUNDY, FRANCE

NEW RELEASE | RRP $110

FROM ONE OF CHABLIS' MOST EXCITING CULT PRODUCERS!

20 MONTHS ON LEES – FOR A VILLAGE CHABLIS!

LEMON. YELLOW GRAPEFRUIT. WHITE FLOWERS. CRISP PEAR. CHALK. OYSTER SHELL. SALINE MINERALITY. EXTRAORDINARY LENGTH.

A REMARKABLE CHABLIS FROM A DOMAINE THAT DESERVES TO BE DISCOVERED!