Bernard Moreau Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru La Cardeuse 2018

“The 2018 Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru La Cardeuse is deeper and more concentrated, wafting from the glass with aromas of rose petals, red berries, cherries, cinnamon and sweet soil tones. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with superb concentration, ripe tannins and lively acids, concluding with a long, perfumed finish. This is a brilliant wine with a pedigree going back to the 1952 vintage that consumers fixated on the Côte d’Or more famous red wine producing villages overlook to their disadvantage. 92-94 points

Alex and Benoit Moreau began their harvest on August 30, afraid of waiting too long given the warm conditions, and reported finished alcohols between 12.15% and 13.3%. This was a large crop for the domaine, even for its premiers crus and old vines: Chenevottes, for example, yielded fully 62 hetoliters per hectare, its most generous in 20 years. Most of the domaine’s white wine fermentations lasted into June-July 2019. As usual, I made Domaine Bernard Moreau one of my last stops during my time in Burgundy to catch the wines at their best, and the young 2018s showed superbly: it’s a more immediate vintage than 2017 but beautifully balanced. Indeed, it’s hard to think of a better address to which to direct readers looking to take a tour of some of Chassagne-Montrachet’s most interesting terroirs. I also revisited the superb 2017s in bottle, wines that number among the vintage’s finest.

What are the rudiments of this 14-hectare estate’s success? As I wrote last year, the domaine represents a loose division of labor between two brothers: Benoit, who concerns himself with the vineyards, and Alex, who oversees the cellar. In the vineyard, they use only organic fertilizers and no pesticides. In the cellar, Alex Moreau appreciates long fermentations and extended sur lie élevage without stirring, the wines finishing their maturation in stainless steel where they generally see a light fining. New oak, largely from François Frères, is judiciously chosen. Beautifully balanced and differentiated by site, these are some of the most compelling white Burgundies being made today, and I once again warmly recommend them to readers.”

William Kelley, Wine Advocate (01/20)