Domaine Louis Michel, Chablis
Background
One of the leading family-held estates in Chablis, not only in terms of production, but also in reputation for their consistently high quality Chablis.
The Michel family’s roots can be traced back to 1850, and today the Domaine is run by Guillaume Gicqueau-Michel (pictured right, top) the sixth generation of a family which has been making wine since 1850. He has been handed the reigns by his uncle Jean-Loup Michel (pictured right, below) who has now retired. (As much as a Burgundian vigneron ever retires!)
Their philosophy is to impart as little interference as possible, with the two principal ambitions being to respect the environment and to reflect the terroir in their wines.
Size: 25 hectares
2 ha of Grand Cru (Vaudésir-1 ha; Les Clos-0.5 ha; Grenouilles–0.5 ha.)
14 ha of Premier Cru (Montmain-1.7ha; Forêts-1.7 ha; Butteaux-4.2 ha; Vaillons-1.9ha; Fourchaume-0.3ha; Montée de Tonnerre-4.3ha)
6.3 ha of village Chablis
1.7 ha of petit chablis
| Soil type: | kimmeridgian clay - marl, limestone and oyster fossils of more than 150 million years old. |
| Vine age: | 40-50 years for Grand Crus; 22-45 years for 1er Crus; 25 years for village . |
| Yields: | Petit Chablis & Chablis : 55-58 hl / ha Premiers Crus : 50-55 hl / ha Grands Crus : 45-50 hl / ha. |
| Annual production: | 168,500 bottles: 13,000 btls Grand Cru 92,500 btls 1er Cru 50,000 btls Chablis village 13,000 btls Petit Chablis |
Viticultural and vinification methods
They employ sustainable vine-growing techniques, and harvest is by hand and also machine. In order to make sure every grape is of exactly the perfect ripeness, they have to work quickly at harvest time, and so while the Grand Cru and some of the Premier Cru are harvested by hand, larger parcels such as Chablis and Petit Chablis are harvested mechanically.
The cellar here is 100% stainless steel. Before 1970 all the wines were fermented and matured in old oak barrels, but by 1980 they had converted completely to stainless steel, as they felt that tanks enable the complexity and pureness of the aromas to come through.'Chablis is not Meursault' they state emphatically.
The Chablis and Petit Chablis are left to sit on their lees for 8 months, while the Premier and Grand Cru are left for up to 12 months.
Wines
Chablis
Chablis 1er Cru Montmain
Chablis 1er Cru Butteux
Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre
Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume
Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons
Chablis 1er Cru Forêts
Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir
Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
Chablis Grand Cru Grenouilles
