Domaine Labet, Cotes du Jura, En Chalasse Chardonnay

Extended elevage version. Not the laser acidity you often get from Jura, this is more like a ripe grand cru burg. Good complexity, but felt a little flat next to some bottles with more energy.

Matchstick reduction on the nose with a nutty ‘Meursault’ quality. A slight fizz on entry but this dissipates with air. Oily texture thanks to its 15% but no oaky heaviness. Some lingering acidity helps to freshen it up but there’s no hiding, this is a monster chardonnay!

Still stinky - it wasn’t the last bottle which was off but unfortunately the whole cuvée! Needs a lot of bottle shaking and you can just about enjoy it with a risotto aux chanterelles. The terroir shines through all the winemaking faults - common among natural wines but rare in the Labet sphere. Hell, you have to give them credit for such uncompromising dedication to their vines and for remaining out of the reach of the wine critics. I for …

Dark yellow. Mineral and smoky bouquet with fireworks and ripe fruits. Same on the palate, medicine, flint stone, juicy acidity and an enormous length.

Giallo oro leggermente torbido, sale, limone, minerale, zesta agrumi, bocca fresco, salino, largo, lungo... grazie.

A private dinner (Restaurant Cornerstore, Amsterdam, NL) : From Chardonnay vines planted in 1947 (60%) and vines planted in 2006 (40%), clay and marne bleu du Lias, harvested 17 September 2018, aged "ouillé" for 30 months in 12 hl barrels, bottled 27 May 2021 with no sulfur added. Mild reduction on the nose, elegant and fine-boned (especially in view of its 15.1% ABV), energetic and fresh, lemon juicy acidity, harmonious and precise, succulent citrus and orchard fruit, bruised apple, relaxed, …

I’m a huge Labet fan but this one just stinks, literally! Mega reductive. Luckily the palate is surprisingly fresh with some citrus rind acidity and chalky tannins, and the alcohol richness in under control. The lasting sensation is one of bitterness but not in the tropical sense like a German Riesling. These hot vintages are a real challenge to French white wine producers and that is going to be a recurring issue in our hot future...

This is the rarer older vines cuvee, not to be confused with the regular En Chalasse which in this particular vintage is better. A heavy hitter at 15.1% alcohol! Luckily, it doesn't come through but the style is very oxidized for once and flabby with little acidity to give it balance. Sherry and nutty notes to go with the apple compot richness.

Nez pas très net, très typé vin nature avec ses notes de pate à relaver. Bouche dotée d'une très belle énergie avec un très beau touché mais la finale est complètement gâchée par ce gros défaut. Pour amateur de vin nature uniquement.

Pours a golden yellow. Lemon, pear, orchard fruit, slight hint of oxidation although well in check. Good acidity. Overall drinks well but seems to be past the peak. Drink up as it's still quite enjoyable!

"massal & clonal - planted 1950, 1985 & 2006 - terroir of marl, blue clay from the Lias epoch - harvest 05/09/18 - bottling 11/06/20 - matured for 20 months in 228 [liter] barrels - SO2 total 7 mg/L - pH 3.07 - total acidity 4.97 g/L" This needs a bit of a shake to get rid of the fizz at first. The nose strikes you immediately as slightly oxidative with a hint of shiitake mushroom, but it gives way …

Medium yellow. Quite inviting in the nose, some apple, more fruit than in the other single-vineyard Chardonnays. On the palate, also a bit richer, the salty-minerally note present in the others is not so present here, but there's more fruit, it's easier to drink. Long finish, a bit broad maybe. Good.

Pale yellow to clear. Nose of honey, peach and white flowers with a flinty edge. Nice attack in the mouth, with good flesh to balance the acidity. Flowery, apricot, waxy. Long finish. Great value.