Louis Michel & Fils Forets Chablis 1er Cru 2022

Critical Acclaim: 93 pts Decanter; 93 pts Jasper Morris; 91 pts Burghound; 91 pts Vinous. 

Winemaker's Tasting Notes: On the nose, Forêts has notes of forest floor and fern, mingled with spicier notes of ripe fruit, cocoa and pepper. The palate is lively, very mineral and chalky, with the distinctive gunflint note that sometimes yields to liquorice. 

"Tight and precise on the palate, this will really benefit from additional time in bottle. Flint allied to peach underneath. Bright, vibrant acidity, give this at least 12 months. In Forêts, the bedrock is only 1m below the surface, with much rockier soils."- Decanter. 

"Pale lemon yellow. The bouquet suggests that the Forêt will have a little more flesh on the bones than the more austere Montmains. Floral notes as well as ripe apples. A light citrus rinse at the back, and no reductive character. Drink from 2025-2030."- Jasper Morris. 

"Ripe yet fresh and bright aromas are comprised by notes of citrus, sea breeze and more prominent mineral reduction nuances. There is better volume if less refinement to the dense and vibrant medium weight flavors that flash focused power on the lightly stony, rich, delicious and zest-inflected finale. This too would benefit from developing better complexity so a few years of keeping should prove helpful."- Burghound. 

"The 2022 Chablis Forêts 1er Cru comes from a single parcel on limestone soils. This has a little more complexity than the Montmain when compared side-by-side, with light orange rind, wet stone aromas, and a little more presence. The palate is well-balanced with a smooth, slightly honeyed entry. It has slightly lower acidity than other Premier Crus from Louis Michel, yet I admire this lilting quality. Early-drinking."- Vinous. 

Varietal: Chardonnay.