Help me settle an argument

Do y'all think Christian Moreau is oak-abusive? At all? In Chablis terms?

Invite me over for a tasting and i'll let you know...

Though I do not remember tasting the wine my note on the 2008 Moreau GC Les Clos is posted below. I tasted this wine in late 2011 during a tasting at the Sage restaurant in Las Vegas. I do remember tasting the 2008 Dauvissat GC Les Clos at the same time and loving it. My Dauvissat note does not mention oak.

2008 Moreau Les Clos
Nose: Flowers, citrus and toasty oak
Taste: Minerals and citrus with moderate oak. Medium acidity. Long but not terribly pleasant finish.

My one experience with Moreau did not impress, but whether that was due to (over)oaking I no longer recall.

Mark Lipton

According to these sites, Dauvissat and Raveneau use barrels that are 6-8 years old, while Moreau uses new and 1 year old barrels on a small portion of each cuvee.

http://www.domainechristianmoreau.com/eng/wines.html
http://www.rarewineco.com/producer/dauvissat-chablis/
http://www.rarewineco.com/producer/raveneau-chablis

Not sure how that all shakes out in the end, but I don't know that anyone would put Moreau in the same league as the others quality-wise.

I am oak sensitive, but IMHO Moreau obliterates his grapes.

Greetings from Sweden / Fredrik L

Moreau = wine for beavers

I'm surprised by this swell of folks describing Moreau as so oaky, my experience is primarily with the Valmur which I've never found especially oak heavy (actually less than young Ravenau GCs, actually). I expect a touch of oak in GC Chablis when young, and that's what I've found. I've had the Chablis AC as well, never thought oaky at all. But maybe I'm less querophobic than others.

I should add I would rather drink Raveneau or Dauvissat, but of recent years my faves have passed beyond my budget, so I've bought some Moreau.
Can folks name which particular wine is for beavers or obliterates grapes? I just read the link Rahsaan provided, it seems the Blanchots sees the most new/nearly new oak, about 10%. The Vaudesir is fermented in stainless then is aged in wood, 10% new or 1 yr. The Valmur is aged 55% ss, 45% oak (10 % new or 1 year, or 4.5% of total). And then less and less (all SS for the AC).
So even if the heaviest toast ever produced in France hard to see these as superoaky.
I just searched Gilman's reviews (and I think it's pretty safe to call him the most oak averse of any well known critic) of Moreau without finding one oak objection.

[David M. Bueker]

It has been a while, but I never found the wines to be overly oaky. Now late 90s Fevre, that was oaky. I do think that oak intolerance is becoming more and more fashionable, thus turning any use of oak into a crime against wine for some folks.

Dale,

I don't remember finding the oak note on the Moreau Les Clos unpleasant at all. I noted oak on the Moreau, but apparently found it unnoteworthy on the Dauvissat. I have very limited experience in tasting GC Chablis. While the '08 Dauvissat is the best Chablis I have ever tasted I would gladly drink more of the Moreau.

PS: If any WLDGers find themselve in Vegas looking for a fix, Sage in Aria does some very nice wine tastings. If you stay at Aria and donate a few bucks to their casino you can get a credit that can be applied to the tasting. Thats how we got to taste some very nice Champagnes, Chablis and white Burgs.