Domaine Soupé, Chablis 1er Cru `Montée de Tonnerre`

Domaine Soupé is a relatively new domaine in Chablis. Run by brothers Frédéric and Jean-Michel Soupé, they only recently started bottling. Although the domaine is new, the Soupé family have owned and farmed vineyards in Chablis for three generations. The brother's maternal grandfather was the 71st grower to join the ‘La Chablisienne’ cooperative winery founded in 1923. Frédéric and Jean-Michel left the cooperative in 2018 to create their first vintage as Domaine Soupé.

Jean-Michel oversees Domaine Soupé’s 16 hectares of sustainably farmed vineyards, with 10.5 hectares in Chablis, 2.75 hectares in the Premier Cru ‘Montée de Tonnerre’ and a couple of hectares between the Premier Cru ‘Vaillons’ and Petit Chablis. The fragmented nature of their parcels brings different elements to the final blend, combining marked chalkiness with a white pear character. The vines for their Chablis are between 28 – 31 years old and planted principally on south-facing slopes.

Frédéric is responsible for the domaine’s winemaking, seeking to produce wines which reflect their site. He uses indigenous yeasts and temperature-controlled, stainless-steel fermentation to retain the freshness and purity of the fruit grown by his brother. The Chablis spends six months on its fine lees in stainless steel, creating additional texture, before being lightly filtered and bottled. The final wine displays lively notes of citrus and stone fruit, enhanced by bright acidity and a saline finish.

The Chablis Premier Cru ‘Montée de Tonnerre’ hails from 2.75 hectares of 63 – 66-year-old vines. The vines are planted on west-facing slopes comprised of Kimmeridgian, marne and limestone soils, producing wines with a marked chalky character. Like the ‘village’s Chablis, it is fermented in stainless steel before ageing for six months on its fine lees. The 0.09-hectare parcel of Chablis Grand Cru ‘Les Preuses’ sits at the top of the slope, west of the Grand Cru hill. This westerly exposure ensures the vines receive the last hours of sunshine during the summer months. These vines are aged between 16 – 19 years old and are planted on a mix of Portlandian and Kimmeridgian limestone soils. The grapes are hand-harvested and begin fermentation in stainless steel tanks, before completing both alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in used oak 500-litre demi-muids. This ensures the oak is well integrated and lends texture without overpowering the wine.

The quality of Domaine Soupé’s vineyards has made them a rising star in Chablis, cementing them as ones to watch.