First the good news: there’s lots of 2018 Chablis to go round. After the hail- and frost-imposed penury of 2016 and 2017, nature was munificent this time, filling cellars to overflowing. ‘In 2017, we needed 10 vines to fill a basket with grapes,’ says Christian Moreau of Domaine Christian Moreau. ‘In 2018, we needed only one. Two more days of harvest and we’d have run out of space!’
Producers took advantage of the maximum permitted yields, plus the VCI (volume complémentaire individuel) introduced in 2015 to allow them to set aside wine to compensate for smaller subsequent crops, but there was still plenty left over. Chablis has had large crops before, of course – 1959, 1982, 1990, 1999, 2004 and 2011 spring to mind – but nothing as big as this, with some producers reduced to leaving grapes on the vines or throwing them away.
It’s certainly good to see the region back on its feet, yet this is a distinctly mixed vintage that has given wines of variable quality, balance and concentration depending on yields, picking dates and vinification techniques. There are patches of excellence surrounded by expanses of good to distinctly ordinary wines. 2018 was the hottest vintage of the 21st century, surpassing 2011, 2015 and even 2003, with 16 days over 30°C in July and a peak of 38.4°C in early August. What saved the vintage and preserved a degree of freshness in the wines was the very wet winter, which saw nearly twice the normal rainfall between December and February. Reserves of water in the soil mitigated the effects of the torrid summer and a second crucial bout of rain, in the first and second week of August, revived vines that had shut down in the heat.
Impact on style
Esta historia es de la edición December 2019 de Decanter.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición December 2019 de Decanter.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Wine wisdom
Our regular learning section helps you get more from your glass
Around ABRUZZO
A stunning, under-explored, year-round destination with an extraordinary natural setting, Abruzzo’s appeal lies in its rustic villages and a sunny-natured, hospitable local character
UMBRIA A wine lover's guide
In the heart of Italy lies an undulating landscape dotted with hilltop villages and draped with olive groves, where winemakers are breathing new life into long-neglected indigenous grape varieties
Lessons in LAMBRUSCO
Coming from the same region of northern Italy as some of the world’s most famous names in food, the wide range of Lambrusco wines provide ample scope for complementing meals both local and international, while refreshing the palate, too
Sustainable cocktails THE FUTURE?
In every industry, it's pretty much the hottest topic right now, but what does the S-word mean when it comes to cocktail-making? Leading experts give us their take and share eco-conscious recipes to replicate at home
VENTOUX AOC The rising star of the Rhône
The Southern Rhone appellation is emerging as a community-led force of innovation and sustainability.
Polkadraai Hills
This lesser-known corner of South Africa’s Stellenbosch region is starting to turn heads, thanks to its special soils and a close-knit community of talented young winemakers
BY FARR
The enigmatic Nick Farr, of Australia's celebrated By Farr winery, is famously reluctant to entertain the wine media or submit samples for tasting. So we jumped at an opportunity to visit the family estate in Geelong to taste some of the country's most sought-after Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Brunello di Montalcino 2019: 30 picks from a 5-star vintage
It's a vintage to bring cheer to Tuscany lovers' hearts, and the first of what is being billed as a strong run of three to come. The successful 2019 Brunello wines offer richness, balance and immediate appeal while also managing to avoid excess
Brunello di Montalcino 2019
It's a vintage to bring cheer to Tuscany lovers' hearts, and the first of what is being billed as a strong run of three to come. The successful 2019 Brunello wines offer richness, balance and immediate appeal while also managing to avoid excess