Two premier cru Chablis slopes face southwest. Montée de Tonnerre is one of them. Its perfect exposure is one of the reasons it’s viewed as the best of the 17 premier crus of Chablis. I’m not one to put the cart before the horse and say that Montée is by nature the finest of the lot. This premier cru is home to bunch of masterly producers, who have extracted as much potential from Montée as can be extracted and raised its esteem over the otherwise equivalent premier crus of Montmains, Fourchaume and Vaillons.
The 17 premier crus are only matched and exceeded in quality by the seven grand crus of Chablis, Les Clos often seen as the greatest of them all.
My motivation for telling you is a just-poured Domaine Servin Montée de Tonnerre 2010.
THE WINE
The 2010 Montée de Tonnerre is straw yellow with a green tint, a tad darker than one would have suspected.
Mirabelle plums, peach stones and unripe pineapple open up the wine on the first whiff. No punches pulled with this vintage – the nose is forward although not aggressive and offers itself freely. The fruit is backed by flower garden aromas and light parsley. The wine shows style and character at this early stage and hints at more to come in two years’ time or so.
The palate is dry and repeats the wine’s aromatic concentration in liquid form. The combination of the firm acidity, green herbaceousness and light stone fruit bitterness makes for an appetizing Chablis that shows the full strength of the Montée de Tonnerre premier cru.
In conclusion, the quality of this wine is not in question. The concentration, depth and variety of flavors, its longevity and ageing potential is beyond question. However, I find myself being overwhelmed by the combination of power, tartness and acidity. I have zero problem with either of these elements in and off themselves. Hell, in terms of beer, the more bitter and hoppy the better.
So here’s the conflict. I’d recommend anyone to buy this – it’s a great buy and terrific value. Personally though, I’d go for a lighter, more feminine Chablis the next time.
CBS Wine 