Article: 2024 Louis Michel
2024 Louis Michel
I’m pleased to make my first offer today for the 2024 Domaine Louis Michel. For many collectors and Chablis lovers, this remains one of the most dependable addresses in the region, producing wines that consistently overdeliver for their price.
Like so many producers in Chablis, 2024 was an extremely difficult growing season. Just about everything that could go wrong did: early season frost, hail, persistent rain, poor flowering, mildew, and then more rain. It truly tested the vignerons’ resolve and required constant attention in the vineyards.
Many producers, including Louis Michel, were forced to abandon organic practices in favor of a more conventional approach, as the relentless rain repeatedly washed treatments off the vines before they had time to take effect. In the end, this appears to have been the right decision, allowing them to save a significant portion of the crop. Louis Michel reported yields around 24 hl/ha, roughly half of what they harvested in 2023, but still considerably more than many of their neighbors who suffered even greater losses. In a year like this, careful vineyard work and quick decision making made all the difference.
When the weather finally turned and the rains subsided, the remaining fruit was able to ripen under much more favorable conditions. The result appears to be wines with slightly lower acidity but impressive purity and remarkable site transparency. Several vignerons have already compared the vintage to 2014, which is an encouraging reference point for Chablis lovers.
While this may prove to be a vintage that drinks a bit earlier than some of the more structured years, the wines still deliver plenty of classic Chablis character: bright orchard fruit, chalky minerality, and the saline freshness that makes the region so compelling. In many ways, 2024 looks set to offer wines that are both immediately enjoyable and unmistakably expressive of their terroir.
Im on my way to Chablis next week and will follow up with more of a first hand account after tasting the wines.
There is a hint of phenolic character to the slightly riper aromas of pear and apple compote, mineral reduction and a lovely hint of ocean breeze. The finer, though not denser, middle weight flavors possess a lilting texture on the equally austere finale that could use better depth so an extra year of cellaring should be helpful.
- Burghound, 87-89
Prominent oyster shell nuances are present on the aromas of mostly iodine, just sliced citrus and mineral reduction. Here too I very much like the texture of the punchy and detailed middle weight flavors that deliver good length but like several of the wines in the range, more depth would be a positive so plan to hold this for a few years.
- Burghound, 89-91
A bit more frosted than the old vines. Pale colour, a marine nose with a suggestion of white fruit behind. Fractionally lactic behind, then greater weight of fruit to finish with adequate tension. Drink from 2028-2032. Tasted Jun 2025.
- Jasper Morris, 90-92
While aromatically almost identical to the regular cuvée, the palate impression of the medium weight flavors actually seems slightly less concentrated though I do like the vibrancy, balance and persistence. In all the years that I've been visiting the domaine, I can't remember the last time I preferred the regular cuvée and while I will have a chance to reexamine this in bottle next year, based on this tasting, today I have a mild preference for it.
- Burghound, 88-91
The old vines were spared more than most. A clear pale colour with fine pure fruit on the nose, classical for unoaked Chablis. The purity continues right across the palate, fresh apple, white flesh and then stones at the finish. All very nicely balanced. Drink from 2028-2033. Tasted Jun 2025.
- Jasper Morris, 91-93
A classic Chablis nose freely offers up its combination of citrus, iodine, mineral reduction, white flower and a background whiff of phenolic character. The notably denser middle weight flavors possess good volume and a succulent mouthfeel before terminating in a dry, youthfully austere and impressively persistent finale. This is really quite classy and one to consider buying.
- Burghound, 90-93
