Domaine Courtault-Michelet was founded by Stéphanie Courtault and her husband Vincent Michelet.
The project is part of the Courtault family estate, founded by Stéphanie’s father, Jean-Claude Courtault.
Jean Claude (JC) arrived in Lignorelles in 1974 to work as a vineyard manager for one of the village's wine estates. In 1984, he purchased 1.5 hectares of 4-year-old vines in the Chablis area. Next, he rented a piece of land in the Chablis appellation area, which he then planted with the help of his wife, Marie-Chantal. And so, the estate of Jean-Claude Courtault was formed. His first vintage was 1987, and the wine was rewarded with a gold medal at the "Concours Général des Vins de Paris" competition.
The 1994 edition of the Guide Hachette awarded the 1992 Courtault Chablis a favorite by distinction, boosting business for the winery. JC grew his plantings, and in 1995, with the estate boasting a dozen hectares of Chablis and Petit Chablis, Jean-Claude Courtault decided to devote himself to wine-growing on a full-time basis. He built a wine storehouse that included all the features necessary for optimal operating efficiency.
The estate has continued to develop its vineyards and now boasts a total of 27 hectares. The vineyards are dispersed over 6 different parishes in the Chablis area, with the majority located in Lignorelles and Beines. A few plots are in Maligny, Chablis, Fye and Villy. Their oldest plots have 35-year-old vines.
The estate's vines are planted in accordance with the tradition of the Lignorelles area: every 5 rows, with sufficient space left for a tractor to pass. Planting density is 6000 - 7000 vines per hectare on average. The Courtault and Michelet families produce 4,100 cases of Chardonnay.
"Jean-Claude Courtault is now in retirement, and his daughter and her husband have now consolidated his 12-hectare domaine and their own Domaine Stéphanie & Vincent Michelet under the Courtault Michelet label. As readers may remember, their holdings are focused around Vignorelles, where clay-rich soils tend to produce a more textural, structured style of Chablis. Vinified in tank, these are serious, impressively age-worthy offerings despite their predominantly modest appellations, and they merit readers' consideration. - William Kelley"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (August 2021)
