Louis Michel

Found in 1850 and now in its fifth generation. The domaine is today run by Jean-Loup Michel and his nephew Guillaume-Giequeau Michel. This is one of the finest domaines in Chablis. All the wines are made without the use of barrel for the purpose to produce wines with greatest purity. After a slow and gentle pressing, fermentation is at a low temperature of 18C to 20C. No cultured yeast is used since 2008. Elevage on the fine lees takes place in stainless steel vats, 8 months for village Chablis and up to 16 months for premier cry and grand cry vineyards. While Louis Michel's village and premier cru wines can be drunk young, they can keep for longer term, esp. the Montee de Tonnerre. Grand cru wines need long aging to reveal its great potential and can be kept and develop for several decades.

"The three top Chablis producers are fairly well agreed on among sommeliers: Francois Raveneau, Rene et Vincent Dauvissat, and Louis Michel....Louis Michel is the stalwart of stainless-steel, traditional, unoaked Chablis. I often think that Louis Michel, though not as highly regarded, may be the best of all of them. The wine is pure, as transparent, and as direct as they come.” (Secrets of the Sommeliers by Rajat Parr and Jordan Mackay)

"Splendidly elegant, pure and fragrantly expressive wines. They can be austere in their youth, but they keep remarkably well. This is one of the top domaines in the appellation." (The Wines of Burgundy by Clive Coates MW) 

"Those who favour stainless steel want the purest flavour of Chablis, with the firm streak of acidity and the mineral quality that the French describe as goût de pierre à fusil, or gunflint. Louis Michel's is generally considered to be the epitome of this style." (Jancis Robinson MW)

"This domaine is one of the finest in Chablis and has produced superlative wines year-in, year-out, without an oak barrel in use without an oak barrel in use." (A Guide to the Wines of Chablis by Austin Biss)