2018 J. Moreau et Fils Les Clos Grand Cru Chablis 750 ml

Earth has 18 million acres of vineyards—and some of the planet’s purest, most vibrant Chardonnay comes from the 61 acres of Les Clos, the oldest and most famous Grand Cru in Chablis. 

France’s iconic white-wine producers jostle for rows of gorgeous vines at Les Clos, and in the incredible 2018 vintage—one that Decanter suggested could “rival the mythical 1947”—J. Moreau et Fils crafted one of the Grand Cru’s best bottles. With 97 points, this striking, intricate, and lively bottle stands with Wine Enthusiast’s top-scoring Chablis of the vintage, second only to a 98-pointer that costs twice as much.

In 2018, a rainy (and frost-free) spring prepared the vines at Les Clos to develop grapes of perfect ripeness and concentration over a warm, dry summer. When Moreau harvested their Chardonnay in September, they brought in flawless, juicy berries—and like other top producers, they praised the vintage as one of the best vintages they’d seen in decades.

J. Moreau et Fils was founded in 1814, after Jean-Joseph Moreau, a cooper, married into a winemaking family and eventually took control of the wine production. Two centuries later, the family’s success is written in its longevity, in the proliferation of quality Chablis wines bearing the Moreau name—and in the dozens of top scores the domaine’s wines have received in the past decade. 

This 97-point triumph stands as one of their absolute best. After full malolactic fermentation and aging on the fine lees for nine months, J. Moreau’s Les Clos Grand Cru deftly balances roundness and rich fruit with the vibrancy and crisp acidity Chablis is known for. It’s a profound bottle, and a necessity for any lover of white Burgundy.