Moreau’s village Chablis is drawn mostly from 20 to 30 year old vineyards in Préhy and Courgis, both in the south of Chablis. Then, there are parcels in Chablis and Chichée (under the Premier Cru Vaugiraut). All up, the domaine has the luxury of working with 30 parcels scattered across the appellation, representing a variety of soil structures and exposures. All the fruit from the younger vines is sold off in bulk, which perennially helps Moreau deliver a Chablis greater than the sum of its parts. The Chablis was picked over various dates, depending on the plot. The fruit was subject to a very gentle four-hour press, and the juice was fermented with natural yeasts (a rarity in Chablis). It was raised mostly in tank, yet the élevage was unhurried. This spent 20 months on lees, considerably longer than most Chablis of this level. These traditional methods, along with hand-harvesting, the quality of the terroir, low yields and the full ripeness levels at which the fruit is harvested help to explain the mouth coating texture, salty depths and the quality that is on offer.

Biodynamic. Théo Riesling comes exclusively from the monopole Le Clos des Capucins—a vineyard that takes its name from the Capuchin friars who arrived in the area in 1619—at the base of the celebrated Schlossberg hill. The clos is well protected from winds by the surrounding hills and walls. The soils are sand, alluvial pebbles and granitic gravel. The low-cropping vines typically offer up a supple and pithy Riesling that is wonderfully accessible when young—a reflection of these sandy soils. As with all Weinbach dry Rieslings, this was pressed as whole bunches, fermented without any yeast additions, and matured in very old oak casks for, in this case, 10 months.

Biodynamic. Primarily responsible for the Weinbach we know today, Catherine Faller’s mother, Colette Faller, was one of the legends of Alsatian wine. Sadly, Madame Faller passed away in early 2015 and, like her daughter Laurence and husband Théo before her, is now immortalised by a wine bearing her name. This cuvée comes from 50- to 60-year-old vines in the Bonnes Terres terroir, lower down on the Schlossberg slope, where the soils are deeper and sandier. The fruit here tends to be picked a touch later. Accordingly, the register of flavours is more intense, running from white flowers to tropical fruits and citrus fruit zest. The wine’s power is balanced by great freshness and verve. Even though it comes entirely from Schlossberg, some of the vines fall outside the Grand Cru boundary, so it cannot be labelled as such. The domaine has applied for Premier Cru status. But no matter, it offers Grand Cru quality in the glass. This gorgeous dry Riesling was raised for 11 months in old oak casks and bottled unfiltered.

Benjamin Benoit is fast becoming one of the Jura’s most exciting voices. Working in Pupillin with traditional methods and minimal sulphur, his site-specific wines offer a precise, elegant expression of Jura terroir. Cellier Saint Benoit sets a new standard for quality in the region. Grown on classic marl soils, La Marcette Chardonnay is whole cluster pressed and aged in neutral barrels. A site-expressive wine that balances depth with a finely structured profile.