# Chablis Premier Cru "Fourchaume" (2022)

- **Producer:** J. Moreau & Fils
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Chardonnay
- **Region:** Burgundy, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.0%
- **Average price:** €55
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 12–14 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** peach, lemon, apple, grapefruit, vanilla, butter, cream, smoke, hazelnut, almond

## About this wine

Established in 1814, J. Moreau & Fils is one of the oldest and most prestigious houses in Chablis. Under the guidance of winemaker Lucie Depuydt, the house focuses on expressing the pure, mineral-driven essence of the region's unique Kimmeridgian soils. The Fourchaume Premier Cru vineyard is situated on a southwest-facing slope that acts as a direct northern extension of the Chablis Grand Cru hill. This exceptional exposure and terroir yield a wine of remarkable structure and complexity, often regarded by wine professionals as having Grand Cru stature.

## Interesting facts

- Fourchaume is widely considered an 'eighth Grand Cru' due to its shared geological bench and southwest exposure with the official Grand Cru sites.
- Winemaker Lucie Depuydt maps soil water-holding capacity to manage vine stress, a crucial technique during the hot 2022 vintage.
- To preserve maximum freshness, grapes are harvested starting at 5:00 AM to capture the coolest diurnal temperatures.

## Food pairing

The high acidity and intense saline minerality of this Premier Cru Chablis cut through rich, creamy sauces and fatty seafood, while its medium-plus body and subtle oak influence complement roasted white meats and soft, bloomy-rind cheeses without overpowering them.

## Wine making process

The grapes are harvested in the cool early morning hours to preserve natural acidity. Following a gentle pneumatic pressing and static cold settling, alcoholic fermentation begins in stainless steel vats. To introduce complexity, 15% of the juice is transferred to one- to two-year-old fine-grain oak barrels to complete fermentation with weekly lees stirring (bâtonnage), while the remaining 85% is fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel. After undergoing 100% malolactic fermentation, the wine is aged on its fine lees for approximately 10 months before blending and bottling.