Vendangeur Masque Chablis De Moor 2023

Vendangeur Masque Chablis De Moor, biodynamic Chablis par excellence.  Another delicious bottling from the fantastic Dr Moor stable.  The Masque is something of a house style, fermented naturally in used foudres, the wine combines a linear profile with the texture and intrique of naturally produced Chardonnay.  Beautiful wine.

They started a small winery in Courgis, a small village 7km SW of Chablis in the mid nineties whilst still working for larger wine estates. From the outset, the vision was a natural one and at the time, Chablis was dominated by large scale industrial production and the horror of the ubiquitous petit Chablis dominated the landscape.

So their decision was brave and pioneering. Over time the domaine they started from scratch grew to include a 'chai' which is managed using only gravity. All work is natural in the vines. Rigorous pruning, sensible de-budding and careful canopy management with manual leaf thinning are all carried out to control the yields and ensure the best, most expressive grapes. Wild grasses are allowed to grow between the rows and they work the vines using a horse. Winemaking is as simple as possible. The grapes are hand-harvested, pressed into tank or barrel, where they undergo a wild yeast fermentation. Ageing in tank/barrel takes place for a further year. There is generally no sulphur added at any stage.

The wines are all delicious, minerally and subtly complex. They are defined by razor sharp acidity and a lean profile which indicates a long life span and will reward ageing.