Domaine du Haut Bourg, 2023 Update
I never miss out on an opportunity to taste with the Choblet brothers at Domaine du Haut Bourg. Not merely because I wish to support vignerons working in the less fashionable appellations, even though that is certainly true. It is because I know that Nicolas and Hervé Choblet have a habit of turning out delicious and distinctive examples of long lees-aged Muscadets. Such as the Origine du Haut Bourg cuvée, which in the 2014 vintage has just been bottled, after more than eight years on the lees.
These are wines I do not want to miss!
The major development chez Choblet this year is not the acquisition of a new vineyard, nor the creation of a new cuvée, but the development of an entirely new domaine. Or at least a new name for half of their pre-existing domaine.
Nicholas and Hervé have organic aspirations, and have begun the three-year period of work required for organic certification. They do not, however, wish to convert the entire domaine to organic viticulture. With frost and the associated low yields an ongoing concern the Choblets have decided they want the security of being able to treat at least some of their vines using conventional methods, in order to secure the best possible volumes in frosted years, while not losing organic certification on the others.
Legally, however, it is not possible to operate a domaine which is half-organic and half-conventional (there is an exception to this rule for those vignerons undergoing gradual conversion of a domaine, provided their ultimate aim is to be being fully organic with time). And so the two brothers have decided to split the domaine into two; the original Domaine du Haut Bourg will continue on with conventional viticulture, while alongside it a new organic entity, Domaine H & N Choblet, has been created.
Confused? No need to be. From my point of view I will continue to report on the wines in one update, as here. But at least you now know the reason for the sudden appearance of the otherwise mysterious Domaine H & N Choblet.
