What to drink on a humid Miami Saturday evening? It has been raining on and off all day, but thankfully there is a breeze high up on my balcony, where, if I look down, I can see cars filling Biscayne Boulevard. I’m way outside of the chaos. Sometimes it’s good to stay in.
I choose Chablis. I’ve been drinking a lot of it recently, for various reasons. Mostly, though, because it does a very good job of satisfying my appetite for white wine that is simultaneously refreshing, textural, and savory without necessarily seeing any new oak.
These words perfectly describe the bottle of Christian Moreau Chablis that I’ve poured. I’ll just add oyster shells – the hallmark aroma of Chablis – to that. Yum.
I had recently had an interesting conversation with Fabien Moreau, the sixth generation of the family to produce wine. It was his decision to convert the vineyards to organic farming – something that he announced as his father, Christian Moreau, was boarding a train to the airport for a trip to the US. (Have a nice trip! By the way…)
This is part of a wider shift towards organics in Chablis, which has around 17% of vineyards farmed organically, versus just 4% ten years ago. “And even if people aren’t organic, they’re making more and more effort”, says Moreau on the shift to sustainable farming led by new generations of winemakers.
Shifting to organics was a personal decision. “When you’re in the vineyard and you apply insecticide, it’s on your hands. You realise within a few hours that you don’t want to have it again. It’s also a more interesting job. With organics, you’re reacting to the vineyard and the weather”, he says.
One interesting result, according to Moreau, is increased vitality of old vines – the domain has vines dating back to 1933, planted by his grandfather.
I’m thinking about these old vines as the traffic gets heavier on the road outside. How nice it would be to be wandering among them, miles from the honking horns and police sirens. But for now, the glass in my hand will do.
Christian Moreau Chablis 2020 is available for $42 in Vinonueva. Many thanks to Chablis Wines for sharing this so that I could taste!
Sarah is a freelance wine educator, writer and events host, based in South Beach. She holds the WSET Diploma in Wine & Spirits and is a current Master of Wine student.
