2024 Domaine Moreau-Naudet Valmur Grand Cru Chablis | 96 Points | Only 1,000 Bottles

🏆 96 Points | Just 1,000 Bottles Made – Grand Cru Chablis from the Vineyard Next Door to Raveneau!

96 Points – La Revue du Vin de France | 92–94 Points – The Wine Advocate

A Remarkable 0.6-Hectare Grand Cru Parcel, Planted in 1978 and Worked by Horse!

2024 Domaine Moreau-Naudet Grand Cru Valmur Chablis

Chablis Grand Cru, Burgundy, France

NEW RELEASE | RRP $360

What happens when one of Chablis's most exciting domaines produces Grand Cru Chardonnay from a tiny vineyard planted in 1978, sitting immediately beside the legendary vines of Domaine Raveneau?

You get one hell of a Chablis!

And this is something genuinely extraordinary.

2024 Domaine Moreau-Naudet Grand Cru Valmur.

A wine from one of the seven legendary Grand Cru vineyards of Chablis.

From a tiny parcel of just 0.6 hectares.

Worked by horse.

Planted in 1978.

Situated beside one of the most famous names in all of Burgundy.

And in 2024?

ONLY APPROXIMATELY 1,000 BOTTLES PRODUCED!

That's worldwide production.

Not an Australian allocation.

Not a particular retailer's stock.

The entire 2024 production.

And look at the reviews!

96 POINTS – LA REVUE DU VIN DE FRANCE!

92–94 POINTS – THE WINE ADVOCATE!

This is one of those wines that reminds me why I love Burgundy so much.

A tiny vineyard.

An extraordinary piece of land.

Decades of history.

And a wine that can be almost impossible to replace once it's gone.

Domaine Moreau-Naudet – One of Chablis's Most Fascinating Estates

The story of Domaine Moreau-Naudet is both inspiring and deeply moving.

The family's winemaking history stretches back generations, but it was Stéphane Moreau who transformed the estate into one of the most exciting names in modern Chablis.

Stéphane and his wife Virginie took over the domaine in 1993.

And they developed a philosophy that was quite different from the increasingly industrial approach to Chablis.

Their emphasis was on exceptional vineyard work.

Low yields.

Careful harvesting.

Natural fermentations.

Long maturation.

And wines that reflected their individual vineyards.

Stéphane believed that Chablis could possess the texture, depth and complexity of great white Burgundy without sacrificing its distinctive mineral character.

And the results were extraordinary.

His wines developed an enthusiastic following among serious Burgundy collectors.

Then tragedy struck.

Stéphane died suddenly in 2016.

Virginie was left with the enormous responsibility of continuing the estate.

And rather than abandon the philosophy they had developed together, she continued building on it.

Today, Virginie Moreau leads the domaine, producing wines that are admired for their depth, precision and remarkable ability to age.

And at the very top of the range sits Grand Cru Valmur.

Valmur – One of the Seven Legendary Grand Crus of Chablis

To understand why this wine is so special, you need to understand the vineyard.

Chablis has seven officially recognised Grand Cru climats.

And Valmur is one of them.

The vineyard occupies a dramatic natural valley in the heart of the Grand Cru hillside.

It sits between some of the most famous vineyards in Burgundy.

Les Clos.

Vaudésir.

Grenouilles.

And Valmur itself.

The vineyard's distinctive shape creates different exposures and growing conditions across the slope.

That gives Valmur a fascinating personality.

The wines can possess enormous depth and concentration.

But also a remarkable mineral structure and saline freshness.

At their finest, Valmur wines are among the most powerful and ageworthy expressions of Chablis.

Here's Something Most People Don't Know – The Vineyard Sits Next Door to Raveneau!

Now this is where the story gets really exciting.

Moreau-Naudet owns a tiny 0.6-hectare parcel in Valmur.

The vines were planted in 1978.

And the parcel sits immediately beside vines belonging to:

DOMAINE FRANÇOIS RAVENEAU!

For anyone who follows great Burgundy, that name needs no introduction.

Raveneau produces some of the most sought-after Chablis in the world.

Its wines are collected, cellared and traded by serious Burgundy enthusiasts internationally.

And Moreau-Naudet's parcel shares this extraordinary Grand Cru landscape.

But there's another fascinating detail.

Moreau-Naudet's vines occupy a cooler, more shaded position.

That helps give the wine its distinctive combination of depth and mineral tension.

And the vineyard is worked by horse.

Just imagine that.

One of the greatest Grand Cru slopes in Burgundy.

A tiny parcel of mature Chardonnay vines.

A horse working the steep hillside.

And a winemaker determined to preserve the character of this extraordinary site.

That's the sort of story that makes Burgundy so compelling.

Kimmeridgian Limestone – Ancient Seas Beneath the Vines

Valmur's geological history is extraordinary.

The vineyard lies on the famous Kimmeridgian limestone and marl associated with the greatest vineyards of Chablis.

These rocks and soils developed from marine sediments laid down during the Jurassic period.

Millions of years ago, this landscape was part of an ancient marine environment.

Today, fossil-rich limestone and marl form an important part of the vineyard's physical character.

And the soils influence drainage, water availability and vine growth.

Of course, the oyster-shell and mineral characters we describe in Chablis are not simply ancient fossils dissolving into the grapes.

But the combination of geology, climate, aspect and vineyard management helps produce wines with an unmistakable sense of place.

And Valmur is one of the great expressions of that landscape.

The 2024 Vintage – A Remarkable Wine from an Exceptionally Difficult Year

Here's something else that makes the 2024 Moreau-Naudet Valmur extraordinary.

The 2024 vintage in Chablis was exceptionally challenging.

Heavy rainfall.

Spring frost.

Hail.

Difficult flowering conditions.

And significant disease pressure.

Across the region, yields were severely affected.

For some growers, the losses were devastating.

At Moreau-Naudet, the Valmur production was dramatically reduced.

The Wine Advocate reports that just 750 litres were produced.

That's approximately 1,000 standard 750mL bottles.

And only around 60% of the estate's normal Valmur production.

But here's the remarkable part.

Despite the difficulties of the growing season, the finished wine has extraordinary depth, freshness and precision.

That's what great vineyards and exceptional winemaking can achieve.

Winemaking – No Oak for the 2024 Valmur!

Now here's something that might surprise you.

For the 2024 Valmur, Moreau-Naudet moved away from oak fermentation and maturation.

Instead, the wine was vinified in small, barrel-shaped stainless-steel tanks.

And that's fascinating.

Because Valmur is naturally a powerful, concentrated Grand Cru.

It doesn't necessarily need oak to provide additional richness.

The objective was to preserve the wine's freshness, purity and extraordinary mineral tension.

Stainless steel allows the fruit and vineyard character to remain at the forefront without adding the aromatic influence of oak.

And the result is a fascinating expression of Valmur.

All the depth.

All the concentration.

But with extraordinary precision.

Grand Cru power without oak-derived heaviness.

That's a very exciting combination.

Tasting Notes – Green Apple, Nashi Pear, Orange Oil and Extraordinary Mineral Tension

The 2024 Moreau-Naudet Valmur is a wonderfully concentrated, beautifully structured Chablis.

The aromas reveal:

• Crisp Granny Smith apple

• Fresh nashi pear

• Orange oil

• Lemon zest

• Delicate beeswax

• White flowers

• Subtle saline complexity

• Fine chalky mineral character

The palate is where this wine becomes particularly exciting.

There's remarkable concentration.

Beautiful orchard fruit.

Citrus intensity.

And a wonderful sense of depth.

But the acidity is extraordinary.

Fresh.

Racy.

And beautifully persistent.

The wine has the breadth and structure expected of great Valmur.

Yet everything is carried by a fine mineral tension.

The finish is long, with citrus, chalk and saline complexity lingering beautifully.

Green apple. Nashi pear. Orange oil. Beeswax. Lemon. Chalk. Saline minerality. Extraordinary length.

This is a Grand Cru Chablis with genuine presence.

96 Points – La Revue du Vin de France

The 2024 Moreau-Naudet Valmur has been listed with an outstanding:

96 POINTS – LA REVUE DU VIN DE FRANCE!

An impressive endorsement from one of France's most respected wine publications.

For a wine produced in such a challenging vintage, that's particularly significant.

92–94 Points – The Wine Advocate

Kristaps Karklins, writing for The Wine Advocate, awarded the wine:

92–94 POINTS!

His assessment highlights the wine's green apple, nashi pear, orange oil and beeswax aromatics.

He describes a concentrated, multifaceted palate with vibrant acidity and impressive tension.

And a wonderfully persistent lemon-inflected finish.

The review also confirms the tiny production.

Just 750 litres.

Approximately 1,000 bottles.

An extraordinary result from an extraordinarily difficult year.

Why Valmur Is Different from Les Clos and Vaudésir

One of the fascinating things about Chablis is how dramatically the different Grand Cru vineyards can express Chardonnay.

Les Clos is often associated with formidable structure, concentration and ageing potential.

Vaudésir can produce wines with beautiful aromatic finesse, elegance and texture.

Valmur often sits somewhere between those personalities.

It can have enormous power.

But also wonderful mineral tension and aromatic complexity.

Its natural valley shape and varied exposures contribute to a particularly distinctive expression of Chardonnay.

And in the hands of Moreau-Naudet, that combination is absolutely compelling.

A Grand Cru Chablis for Serious Collectors

This is not simply a Chardonnay to open casually.

It's a wine with remarkable pedigree.

A tiny vineyard.

Mature vines.

One of the greatest Grand Cru sites in Burgundy.

An extraordinary family winemaking story.

And a vintage with extremely limited production.

For serious Chablis collectors, those details matter.

Particularly when the wine comes from a domaine with such a strong reputation for traditional vineyard work and ageworthy wines.

Cellaring Potential

The 2024 Valmur is a youthful, concentrated Grand Cru Chablis.

Its combination of fruit depth, acidity and mineral structure suggests excellent ageing potential.

Suggested drinking window: 2030–2043+, under excellent storage conditions.

I'd be inclined to cellar this wine rather than open it immediately.

The best Grand Cru Chablis can develop extraordinary complexity with time.

Fresh citrus and orchard fruit gradually evolve towards honey, toasted nuts, savoury complexity and deeper mineral character.

And great Valmur has the structure to reward that patience.

Food Pairings

This deserves something special.

I'd recommend:

• Southern rock lobster with beurre blanc

• Roast turbot

• Fresh scallops

• King crab

• Grilled marron

• Roast chicken with morels

• Comté

• Delicate mushroom and truffle dishes

Personally, I'd love this with freshly grilled southern rock lobster, a restrained lemon butter sauce and nothing else.

Let the wine do the talking.

Why We Love It at Liquid Vibe

Because this is everything that makes great Burgundy extraordinary.

A tiny parcel in one of the world's most famous Chardonnay vineyards.

Vines planted in 1978.

Worked by horse.

Immediately beside the legendary vines of Raveneau.

A remarkable winemaking family.

A challenging vintage.

And just 1,000 bottles produced.

Look at what you're getting.

2024 Domaine Moreau-Naudet Grand Cru Valmur Chablis

Chablis Grand Cru, Burgundy, France

0.6-Hectare Vineyard Parcel

Vines Planted in 1978

Worked by Horse

Next Door to Domaine Raveneau

Kimmeridgian Limestone and Marl

2024 Vinified in Stainless Steel

Approximately 1,000 Bottles Produced

96 Points – La Revue du Vin de France

92–94 Points – The Wine Advocate

RRP $360

This is a genuinely extraordinary Chardonnay.

A wine with power, elegance, remarkable mineral structure and enormous potential.

And for serious lovers of Chablis, it's a bottle worth seeking out.

2024 DOMAINE MOREAU-NAUDET GRAND CRU VALMUR CHABLIS

CHABLIS GRAND CRU, BURGUNDY, FRANCE

96 POINTS – LA REVUE DU VIN DE FRANCE!

92–94 POINTS – THE WINE ADVOCATE!

ONLY APPROXIMATELY 1,000 BOTTLES PRODUCED!

VINES PLANTED IN 1978 – WORKED BY HORSE – NEXT DOOR TO RAVENEAU!

RRP $360

GREEN APPLE. NASHI PEAR. ORANGE OIL. BEESWAX. CHALK. SALINE MINERALITY. EXTRAORDINARY LENGTH.

ONE OF CHABLIS'S MOST FASCINATING GRAND CRU WINES – AND AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE 2024 RELEASE!