Description

Les Forêts has a great balance between the spare body and rich core power of Montmains to the east and the flesh and weight of Butteaux to the west, and indeed, it is sandwiched between them. The hill slope of Collet’s parcel is more dramatic than the neighbouring lieu-dit, Butteaux, which is much more gradual and quite different from many of the 1er Crus within the Vaillons and Montmains hills.

It’s a high-density parcel (10k vines per hectare) notably warmer and less windy due to the small amphitheatre in which it sits. Les Forêts has an unusual mark of exotic, bright and sweet fruit and green characters (at least in its youth), possibly due to the warmth. The wine has a unique balance of supreme delicacy and pressure somehow so individual that it merits the attention of anyone who wants to lose themselves in a Chablis of sleek and sublime quality.

Hand harvested, whole cluster pressed and spontaneously fermented with indigenous yeasts. 90% of the fermentation is made in cement tanks and 10% in old 320-liter French oak barrels. No temperature control needed in the cement tanks keep the temperature very constant and takes much longer to ferment. This wine, like all of Collet’s Chablis wines, goes through malolactic fermentation.

Aged in cement and old 320-liter French oak barrels for eleven months and into steel for three months before bottling.