At a recent event for Australia’s First Families of Wine, Robert Hill Smith of Yalumba made the rather absurd suggestion that media types were somehow guilty of a double standard when it came to their criticism of cork closures and praise of screwcaps. Apparently because we all have lots of Burgundy under cork in our cellar we are tacitly endorsing bark seals. Well, I’m not wealthy enough to have lots of Burgundy in my cellar and if given a choice any Burgundy that I put away would be sealed with a screwcap. There’s no double standard at play. Anyway, I hadn’t even heard of Domaine Louis Moreau until I saw their 2010s under screwcap on a retail shelf. The fact that they were sealed that way made me give the wines a go and I’m glad I did.
This has more intensity, more complexity and more length than the Vaillons 1er Cru reviewed last week. There are similarities though. That aniseedy herbal inflection that I so enjoy and those subtle suggestions of richer, riper fruits – difficult to pin down in terms of specific descriptors but perhaps all the more alluring for that reason. Distinct notes of Pink Lady apples and a hint of salinity. Flinty and chalky with a citrus tinged line of acid. An altogether pleasing mouthfeel with nuances of nuts and caramel as it breathes. Captivating gear. 94+
Region: Chablis, France
Alcohol: 13.0%
Closure: Screwcap
Price: $90
Tasted: June 2013
http://www.louismoreau.com
The inaugural release of a Head Wines Riesling and it has quite a degree of charm. 4g/l residual sugar. Not really off-dry then but of a European disposition.
