Domaine Moreau-Naudet Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 2023

At Domaine Moreau-Naudet, everything begins in the vineyard. Farming across 26 hectares from Petit Chablis through to Grand Cru, the team works organically, ploughing soils by hand and applying only minimal organic treatments when required. There’s no chemical interference—no herbicides, insecticides or synthetic fertilisers—and harvest is done later than most in the region, in pursuit of optimal ripeness and textural depth.

In the cellar, the approach is equally precise. All fruit is whole-bunch pressed using a Champagne-style press for delicacy and purity, then fermented slowly with indigenous yeasts and a portion of fine lees. Élevage is extended well beyond the regional norm—up to 24 months, even for village wines—offering greater flesh, stability and definition. Stainless steel dominates for the entry-level wines, while old oak (never more than 30%, and always steamed, never charred) is introduced for Premier and Grand Crus. Bâtonnage is minimal, sulphur is kept low, and the wines emerge as layered, mineral, and full of personality—benchmark Chablis with nothing formulaic about them.