Moreau Naudet

History of Domaine Moreau-Naudet

The family has grown vines in Chablis since the 17th century, but the estate’s name dates only to 1950, when Marie Naudet married René Moreau. The property remained modest and little-known for many years, until Stéphane Moreau took over from his father Roger in 1993, alongside his wife Virginie. The young winemaker had a clear ambition, inspired by figures he admired: Vincent Dauvissat for his approach to making Chablis, and Didier Dagueneau for his uncompromising standards—an influence that would extend even to the distinctive design of his labels.

From 1993 to 2016, Stéphane Moreau took this small family estate to the top of the appellation. He refined the work in the vineyard, eliminated insecticides and anti-rot treatments, used only organic soil amendments and, above all, refocused everything on achieving perfect grape ripeness. In the cellar, he developed his aging methods, working with tanks, barrels and demi-muids and gradually extending aging to two years. Together with Virginie, he expanded the vineyard from seven to more than twenty hectares and built a much larger winery near Vaillons, capable of accommodating three vintages at once. In August 2016, just days before the harvest, Stéphane Moreau died suddenly at the age of 47. Virginie took up the mantle on her own and, supported by a loyal team, continues to pursue his vision to widespread acclaim.

Terroirs and Vines of Domaine Moreau-Naudet

Today, the vineyard covers around twenty hectares across Chablis and the neighboring villages of Préhy and Courgis. It sits on the famed Kimmeridgian soils—Upper Jurassic clay-limestone marls rich in tiny fossil oysters—with more clay-rich areas and, on the plateaus, the Portlandian soils of Petit Chablis. The vines range from twenty to sixty years old on average, with selections of old vines reserved for the grand cru, all the premiers crus and certain Chablis cuvées.

Each climat tells a different story. Les Forêts, powerful and intense, borders the vines of Dauvissat and Raveneau. Vaillons brings together around three hectares from Roncière, Séchet and Epinottes, with vines up to 75 years old. Montmains combines one plot in the climat itself, two in Butteaux and one in Vieux Mulot. Montée de Tonnerre comes from a hectare of 50-year-old vines in the Chapelot lieu-dit, on sandy, rock-covered soils. Valmur occupies a steep, windswept, south-facing slope. Vineyard work is rigorous: short pruning, bud thinning, soil cultivation, exclusively organic fertilization for many years, and entirely manual harvesting for all wines destined for bottling.

Winemaking at Domaine Moreau-Naudet

The philosophy runs counter to local practice. Here, grapes are harvested late and by hand in pursuit of the perfect balance between ripeness and freshness, making chaptalization unnecessary in recent vintages. The juicy fleshiness immediately apparent in the wines stems directly from this choice. Fermentation relies exclusively on native yeasts, without unnecessary intervention.

Aging is the estate’s other hallmark. It is particularly long for Chablis—eighteen to twenty-four months, depending on the cuvée—on fine lees and without bâtonnage, allowing the wine to settle and gain complexity, texture and balance. The premiers crus and grand cru spend no more than a third of that time in barrels and demi-muids, always previously used, with the remainder in tanks. Petit Chablis and village Chablis, meanwhile, are aged exclusively in stainless steel to preserve the fruit’s vibrancy. This approach, which lets nature do the work, accounts for the unusual density and depth of these Chablis wines, without relying on any aging tricks.

The Cuvées of Domaine Moreau-Naudet

Petit Chablis: from three hectares planted on Portlandian limestone plateaus above the Kimmeridgian slopes, it is vinified and aged entirely in stainless steel tanks. The nose offers lime, green apple and a hint of chalk; the palate stays focused, lively and refreshing. Far from an anonymous Petit Chablis, it has a clarity and character that charm immediately. Perfect with oysters, shellfish and fried fish.

Chablis: the heart of production, covering around twelve hectares, it comes from several distinct areas whose blending brings completeness. The bouquet opens with grapefruit zest, acacia and flint. Medium-bodied, the palate is textured and savory, with a delicately saline finish. Aged in tank, it retains an open, immediately appealing style while offering five to eight years of aging potential.

Chablis Vieilles Vignes Les Pargues: a superb single-plot cuvée from very old vines planted in the Les Pargues terroir, between Montmains and Vosgros, long sold under the name Chablis Caractère. It displays remarkable generous flesh, spicy energy and briny freshness, with a deeper profile than village Chablis: ripe citrus, orchard fruit and a pronounced stony character. A long, striking finish puts it on a par with many premiers crus.

Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons: around three hectares drawn from Roncière, Séchet and Epinottes, with vines up to 75 years old. The fine, delicate nose blends white flowers, lime zest and stony minerality. The palate impresses with beautifully controlled breadth, luscious, caressing fruit and astonishing length, with a certain something that sometimes recalls Meursault. Superb with sole or poached young hen in sauce suprême.

Chablis 1er Cru Montmains: a blend of plots in Montmains, Butteaux and Vieux Mulot, on the opposite side of the valley from Vaillons. Its floral, springlike bouquet carries hints of anise, citrus and cream. The palate combines the textured sensuality of ripe fruit with citrusy verve, showing streamlined power and exceptional length. A wine of exemplary vitality, best given four or five years.

Chablis 1er Cru Forêts: two hectares neighboring the vines of Dauvissat and Raveneau—a meaningful distinction. Here, the soil’s expression is at its most sharply defined: a nose of tea, flowers and lemon with an inviting exotic touch, and a taut, mouthwatering palate driven by mineral, spicy, incisive energy. The smoky, toasted finish seems endless. A Chablis of exceptional distinction.

Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre: less than a hectare of 50-year-old vines in the Chapelot lieu-dit, on sandy, rock-covered soils rich in Kimmeridgian limestone. Regularly the estate’s most mineral cuvée, it has striking precision and tension, with aromas of citrus, white pepper and a touch of honey. Its limestone and saline character gives the finish lift.

Chablis 1er Cru Beauregards: a recent cuvée from a small plot of less than twenty ares planted by Stéphane Moreau near Courgis, on clay-limestone soils. Facing due south but set on a 40% slope, it yields a remarkably lively wine with notes of white flowers, grapefruit zest and green apple. The palate is bright and incisive, with remarkable energy and tension leading to a savory finish.

Chablis Grand Cru Valmur: the estate’s only grand cru, from just over half a hectare of south-facing vines on Valmur’s steep, windswept slopes. Fermented with native yeasts and aged for twenty-four months on lees—one-third in used barrels and demi-muids and two-thirds in tanks—it reaches another level of concentration and depth. The color is deep; the profile intensely floral, airy, refined and strikingly upright. The palate reveals superb energy and a density and chew rarely found in Chablis. Breathtaking minerality and aging potential of fifteen to twenty-five years make it one to save for special occasions and the finest seafood dishes.