LE CLOS AUX MOINES – ST BLAISE
- Tony Lcrx
- Oct 14, 2025
- 13 min read
COMPLETE TASTING NOTES 2024 VINTAGE
PRODUCER OVERVIEW
Charlène Contesse represents a new generation of Swiss vignerons who combine technical precision with artistic vision. After years honing her craft at Château de Praz alongside Alain Gerbert, she made the bold decision to vinify her family's exceptional terraced vineyard independently.
Estate Details:
Total vineyard: 2 hectares of pristine old vines
Farming: Certified biological with innovative practices (straw mulching, biodiversity focus)
Philosophy: Delicacy paired with structural integrity, limestone expression
Terroir: Steep terraced slopes, yellow Jurassic limestone, northern shore of Lake Neuchâtel
Elevation: Upper slopes with varied exposures
Key innovation: Straw mulching between rows for moisture retention and biodiversity
The Site: The family vineyard is genuinely exceptional—steep terraces carved into yellow Jurassic limestone that glows golden in afternoon light. These are old vines in impeccable health, maintained for decades but previously sold as fruit to local estates. Charlène recognised their potential and began with a single barrel in the early 2020s while still working full-time at Château de Praz.
Range:
Chasselas Classique (straightforward limestone expression)
Chasselas sur Lies (traditional Neuchâtel style, elevated)
Chasselas Barrique "L'Ecrin" (revolutionary oak-aged Chasselas)
Pinot Noir (delicate, luminous style)
Future: Parcel-specific Pinot Noir (pending vintage cooperation)
Philosophy: Charlène's wines showcase what I call "strength through delicacy." There's no heaviness, no manipulation—just pure expression of limestone terroir through Chasselas. She understands that Chasselas isn't about power; it's about precision, salinity, and the ability to transmit terroir transparently.
Her biological farming goes beyond certification. The straw mulching technique is particularly intelligent—it retains natural humidity, moderates soil temperature, creates organic matter, and encourages biodiversity. This is thoughtful, modern viticulture informed by tradition.
UNDERSTANDING THE TERROIR
The Limestone Signature at Le Clos aux Moines
Yellow Jurassic limestone defines everything at Le Clos aux Moines. This isn't the white chalk of Champagne or the Kimmeridgian marl of Chablis—it's a distinct limestone formation with its own personality.
What limestone brings to these wines:
Salinity: Pronounced saline minerality, almost sea-like
Precision: Laser-focused aromatics without blur
Tension: Structural backbone without weight
Ageing potential: The acidity and mineral core allow extended cellaring
Phenolic texture: Subtle grip on the finish that enhances food pairing
The terraced structure creates varied mesoclimates. Upper terraces see more mountain influence (cooler, more precise). Lower sections benefit from lake moderation (riper, more generous). Charlène works with these differences rather than fighting them.
Why Chasselas Here?
Chasselas is often dismissed as neutral or simple. That's because most Chasselas comes from high-yielding, fertile sites where the variety produces pleasant but unremarkable wines.
On poor limestone soils with old vines and thoughtful viticulture, Chasselas transforms. It becomes a terroir transmitter of exceptional clarity. Where Chardonnay might add its own personality, Chasselas steps aside and lets the limestone speak.
Charlène's three Chasselas cuvées show the variety's range when treated seriously—from crystalline purity (Classique) to textural complexity (sur Lies) to gastronomic ambition (Barrique).
UNDERSTANDING THE VINTAGES
2024 Vintage
The cool, challenging 2024 vintage proved ideal for Charlène's limestone terroir. Extended growing season, careful canopy management, and precise picking captured Chasselas at optimal phenolic ripeness while maintaining brilliant acidity.
Vintage character: Tension, mineral clarity, ageing potential, crystalline purity
What makes 2024 special here: The limestone's natural acidity, combined with the vintage's freshness, creates wines of exceptional energy. These are Chasselas built for the cellar—a rarity in Swiss white wine.
The challenge: Managing reduction (a quality marker in mineral wines but requiring careful handling). Charlène navigated this beautifully, showing reduction as complexity rather than flaw.
2023 Vintage
The warm 2023 vintage brought heat and drought across Neuchâtel. Charlène's limestone terroir and biological practices (especially the straw mulching) helped maintain freshness despite the solar year.
Vintage character: Ripe fruit, generous while approachable structure
What makes 2023 special here: The limestone provided natural freshness even in a warm year. The Pinot Noir shows beautiful ripeness without heaviness—a testament to thoughtful viticulture and picking decisions.
COMPLETE TASTING NOTES
2024 VINTAGE – THE CHASSELAS TRILOGY
Chasselas Classique 2024
Technical Details:
Vineyard: Estate's sloped, terraced vineyard, mixed exposures
Soil: Yellow Jurassic limestone with minimal topsoil
Ageing: Neutral stainless steel tanks
Fermentation: Native yeasts
Malolactic: Completed
Production: Core production Chasselas
Alcohol: ~12%
Tasting Note:
This is straightforward Chasselas at its purest—a wine that showcases the crystalline salinity and sharp minerality that defines the appellation. There's zero pretension here, just a transparent expression of limestone terroir.
The initial nose displays matchstick reduction from vinification—a hallmark of quality that speaks to minimal intervention and natural winemaking. This isn't a flaw; it's a signature of wines made without manipulation. With aeration (10-15 minutes in the glass or light decanting), this evolves beautifully, revealing fresh citrus, green apple, and delicate lemon blossom aromatics.
The palate is where this wine truly shines. There's pronounced salinity—almost like licking stones after rain. The texture is precise and clean, with vibrant acidity that's refreshing rather than aggressive. The wine's length is extended by subtle phenolic bitterness—perfectly judged for food pairing rather than dominating the palate. This bitterness provides grip and structure, transforming Chasselas from a pleasant aperitif wine into a serious food companion.
This is Jurassic limestone expressed through Chasselas with complete transparency. No oak, no manipulation, no makeup—just terroir.
Optimal Serving:
Temperature: 10-12°C (colder than you think)
Decanting: Brief aeration (15-20 minutes) to blow off reduction
Glassware: White wine stems, not too large (concentrate aromatics)
Evolution in Glass: First 10 minutes: Reduction, closed. After 15 minutes: Citrus and minerals emerge. After 30 minutes: Full expression, salinity prominent. After 1 hour: Peak complexity
Drinking Window: Delicious immediately upon release, yet structured enough to develop gracefully through 2029. The 2024's acidity and mineral core suggest this vintage will age particularly well.
Food Pairing:
Remarkably versatile thanks to its delicate flavours, salinity, and balanced acidity. The phenolic grip makes it exceptional with:
Perfect matches:
Sea bass carpaccio with lemon and olive oil
Fresh white asparagus with hollandaise
Various creamy cheeses
Why it works: The wine's salinity and acidity cut through richness while its delicacy doesn't overpower subtle flavours. The phenolic bitterness provides a bridge to vegetables that might clash with rounder whites.
Avoid: Heavy cream sauces, strongly spiced dishes, anything that would overwhelm the wine's refinement
Collector's Note: This is your introduction to Le Clos aux Moines and to serious Chasselas. At this price point, it's an exceptional value for limestone-driven white wine of this quality. Buy several bottles—one to drink now, others to see how it evolves.
Chasselas sur Lies 2024
Technical Details:
Vineyard: Specific parcel at vineyard's edge, extremely poor, rocky soil in small terraces
Soil: Yellow Jurassic limestone, high stone content, minimal organic matter
Ageing: Full ageing on fine lees until bottling in January
Fermentation: Native yeasts, spontaneous malolactic
Malolactic: Complete (unusual for Chasselas, adds texture)
Bottling: With a portion of fine lees included
Production: Limited, traditional Neuchâtel style
Alcohol: ~12.5%
Tasting Note:
This represents the iconic Neuchâtel style of "sur Lies" Chasselas—a traditional approach that doesn't always resonate with modern palates seeking immediate fruit and freshness. The technique (extended lees ageing with malolactic fermentation) adds texture and complexity but can result in heavy, dull wines when poorly executed.
Yet Charlène has crafted something genuinely compelling here. She's elevated a regional classic into something that transcends its genre—retaining tradition while achieving exceptional balance and drinkability.
The salinity reaches its apex in this cuvée—even more pronounced than the Classique. There's extra roundness and body from the lees contact, creating a creamy mid-palate texture. Yet this richness is lifted by zesty acidity that keeps everything vibrant and fresh. The wine never feels heavy or tired despite the textural complexity.
Aromatics show more developed character than Classique: brioche, almond, lemon curd, wet stone. There's a subtle phenolic texture and a longer, more complex finish. The malolactic fermentation has softened the edges without removing the wine's essential energy.
This is Sur Lies Chasselas done right—showing depth and potential while remaining refreshing and food-friendly. Charlène has proven that traditional techniques still have relevance when executed with skill and modern sensibility.
Optimal Serving:
Temperature: 11-13°C (slightly warmer than Classique to show texture)
Decanting: Light aeration beneficial (20-30 minutes)
Glassware: Slightly larger stems to capture complexity
Drinking Window: Approachable now and will continue developing beautifully through 2030. The lees ageing and malolactic fermentation provide structure for evolution. Peak drinking 2026-2030.
Food Pairing:
The added texture and complexity demand richer preparations:
Perfect matches:
Poached cod with Chasselas beurre blanc and white asparagus (sublime pairing—the sauce echoes the wine's creaminess)
Veal sweetbreads with morel mushrooms
Grilled scallops with cauliflower purée
Gruyère cheese -- Salé
Why it works: The fish's delicate texture provides a perfect counterpoint to the wine's vibrant energy, while creamy sauces echo and amplify the wine's textural mid-palate. The wine has enough body to handle richer preparations without being overwhelmed.
Collector's Note: This wine showcases Charlène's technical mastery. Sur Lies is easy to make but hard to make well. She's achieved a perfect balance between tradition and modernity. This is the cuvée to serve to sceptics of Chasselas—it will change minds.
Chasselas Barrique "L'Ecrin" 2024 ⭐
Technical Details:
Vineyard: Small, cool parcel in the mountain's shadow
Soil: Yellow Jurassic limestone, extreme poverty
Ageing: One-third new French oak, two-thirds neutral
Oak treatment: New barrels treated with hot water before filling (reduces toast impact)
Fermentation: Native yeasts in the barrel
Malolactic: Complete, in barrel
Production: Extremely limited (single parcel)
Alcohol: ~13%
Tasting Note:
Let me be direct: Chasselas and oak barrel ageing rarely succeed together. The variety typically lacks the power and aromatic intensity to integrate toast and wood tannins without being overwhelmed. Most attempts result in disjointed wines where oak dominates rather than enhances—you taste wood, not terroir.
This makes Charlène's achievement here genuinely remarkable.
She's applied serious consideration before embarking on this cuvée. The parcel selection is critical— a cool, north-facing site that maintains acidity and tension even with oak ageing. The oak treatment (hot water rather than fire toasting) gentles the wood's impact dramatically. The one-third new, two-thirds neutral ratio provides texture without overwhelming the wine.
The result: oak is woven into the wine's fabric rather than applied as flavouring.
On the nose, there's considerable reduction currently (matchstick, flint, struck stone). This will resolve with time and aeration.
Behind the reduction: white peach, hazelnut, subtle vanilla, lemon curd, and pronounced minerality. The oak adds complexity without dominating.
The palate shows brilliant freshness and piercing acidity despite the oak ageing. The cool parcel selection has preserved the limestone's natural tension. There's textural richness—a coating, almost creamy sensation—but never heaviness. The phenolic structure from both limestone and oak creates an impressive grip on the finish.
This wine needs another year to settle and harmonise. Currently, the elements are present but not fully integrated. By late 2025 or 2026, everything will click into place.
The Bold Claim: I challenge anyone sceptical of Chasselas to taste this blind alongside serious Chablis Premier Cru (Montée de Tonnerre, Fourchaume, Vaillons). The comparison isn't perfect—this is its own thing—but the quality level, minerality, and ageing potential are absolutely comparable.
This is genuinely impressive work that repositions Chasselas as one of the greatest grape varieties in the world.
Optimal Serving:
Temperature: 12-14°C (warmer to show complexity)
Decanting: 1-2 hours minimum (needs air to resolve reduction)
Glassware: Fine Burgundy stems (this wine deserves serious glassware)
Drinking Window: Not quite ready—wait until late 2025 or 2026. Then enjoy through 2032-2034. The structure suggests potential beyond 2034 for perfectly stored bottles.
Evolution Timeline:
2025: Still closed, reduction prominent
2026-2028: Opening, oak integrating, showing potential
2029-2032: Peak complexity, everything harmonised
2033-2034: Tertiary development, honeyed notes
Food Pairing:
Once ready, pair this with preparations that match its complexity and ambition:
Perfect matches:
Butter-poached lobster with champagne sauce
Roasted turbot with wild mushrooms and truffle
Veal sweetbreads with morel cream
Why it works: This wine can handle gastronomic ambition. It has the texture, complexity, and structure to stand up to rich preparations and strong flavours. The oak component creates bridges to mushrooms, nuts, and caramelised elements.
Wine dinner suggestion: Serve this blind alongside white Burgundy (Meursault, Puligny, or Chablis Premier Cru). Watch faces when you reveal it's Chasselas from Switzerland. You'll make believers.
Cellar Conditions: This wine deserves proper storage:
Temperature: 12-13°C constant
Humidity: 70%
Darkness: Complete
Position: Horizontal
Collector's Note: This is the wine that will make Le Clos aux Moines's reputation internationally. It's revolutionary—not because it mimics Burgundy, but because it proves Chasselas can achieve this level when everything aligns (terroir, old vines, biological viticulture, technical precision).
Buy this wine. Cellar it properly. Open it in 2028 with serious wine lovers. This is a wine that changes conversations about Swiss wine and Chasselas specifically.
Investment Potential: As Charlène's reputation grows and this wine gains recognition, expect significant appreciation. This is ground-floor access to something special.
2023 VINTAGE
Pinot Noir 2023
Technical Details:
Vineyard: Estate terraced slopes, limestone terroir
Vinification: Traditional approach with destemming
Maceration: Cold soak before fermentation
Ageing: 12 months in French oak (percentage new not specified)
Production: Single Pinot Noir currently, parcel selection coming
Alcohol: ~13-13.5%
Tasting Note:
This is a delicate, luminous Pinot Noir that reflects Charlène's personality perfectly—refined, discreet, and graceful. If her Chasselas show precision and minerality, her Pinot Noir shows elegance and restraint.
The wine displays a bright ruby colour with excellent clarity. On the nose: fresh crunchy red fruits (cherry, raspberry, cranberry), violet florals, and bright hibiscus notes. There's a subtle limestone influence—a stony, mineral undercurrent beneath the fruit.
The palate is gentle and welcoming. Tannins provide structure without weight, creating a framework rather than a grip. Beautiful salinity extends the finish gracefully—the limestone signature carries through from the whites. The wine has lovely energy and lift; it never sits heavy on the palate.
This isn't Pinot Noir for power seekers or concentration enthusiasts. This is Pinot Noir that brings joy through delicacy, that enhances rather than dominates food, that makes you want another glass rather than demanding contemplation.
There's an effortless elegance here, a lightness of being that makes the wine incredibly pleasant without sacrificing complexity or interest. It's the kind of wine that disappears from the bottle because everyone keeps refilling their glass.
Optimal Serving:
Temperature: 14-16°C (slight chill enhances freshness)
Decanting: Optional but beneficial (30-45 minutes)
Glassware: Burgundy stems, not too large
Drinking Window: Enjoyable now but will evolve gently through 2029, gaining subtle complexity while retaining its essential freshness. Peak drinking 2025-2028.
This is not a wine built for extended cellaring. Drink it within its youth when the fruit is vibrant and the flowers are present.
Food Pairing:
This is Pinot Noir for springtime gatherings, casual elegance, and good company:
Perfect matches:
Charcuterie board with cured meats and pâté
Cheese plate (soft to medium-aged)
Roasted chicken with root vegetables
Simply: good conversation on the terrace
Why it works: The wine's delicacy and freshness don't overpower food. It enhances without dominating. The salinity and acidity cut through fat, and the gentle tannins don't clash with delicate proteins.
Seasonal suggestion: This is a warm-weather red—serve it slightly chilled at outdoor gatherings, with simple preparations that honour the season.
Collector's Note: Sometimes wine's greatest virtue is its ability to bring people together without demanding attention. This Pinot Noir does exactly that. It's not a statement wine or a cellar candidate—it's a wine for living, for sharing, for enjoying without overthinking.
Buy this for your next dinner party. Keep it simple: good friends, good food, this wine. That's enough.
The Future: Charlène plans parcel-specific Pinot Noir bottlings pending vintage cooperation and adequate volume. Given what she's achieved with this blend, the single-parcel wines will be fascinating—expect more structure and terroir specificity while maintaining her signature elegance.
COLLECTING & CELLARING GUIDE
Which Wines to Buy:
For Immediate Pleasure (Drink within 3-5 years):
Chasselas Classique 2024
Pinot Noir 2023
For Medium-Term Cellaring (5-8 years):
Chasselas sur Lies 2024
Future vintages of Pinot Noir
For Long-Term Collection (8-12 years):
Chasselas Barrique "Les Crains" 2024
Future single-parcel Pinot Noirs
Building Your Collection:
The Chasselas Enthusiast: Buy vertically across all three cuvées from the same vintage. This allows you to understand Charlène's range and how different approaches shape the variety. Total: 6-9 bottles per vintage.
The Value Seeker: Focus on Chasselas Classique as an everyday wine and save for occasional bottles of Barrique. The Classique over-delivers for its price.
The Serious Collector: Buy multiple bottles of the Barrique "L'Ecrin." This is the wine that will appreciate and gain in reputation. Cellar it properly and you'll be rewarded both in the glass and in value.
Storage Recommendations:
Chasselas requires thoughtful storage:
While not as sensitive as aged Burgundy, these wines benefit from proper conditions:
Essential:
Temperature: 11-13°C constant (cooler than reds)
Humidity: 70%
Darkness: Complete (Chasselas is particularly sensitive to light)
Position: Horizontal
For Barrique "L'Ecrin" specifically: Treat this like serious white Burgundy. Professional storage is recommended if you lack a proper cellar. This wine is too special to risk in suboptimal conditions.
Serving Strategy:
Temperature is critical for Chasselas:
Too cold: Aromatics shut down, seems austere
Too warm: Loses freshness, seems flabby
Optimal approach:
Start cold (fridge temperature)
Pour small amounts
Let it warm gradually in a glass
Observe evolution
Decanting Chasselas: Many dismiss this, but these wines benefit from aeration:
Brief decanting (15-30 minutes) for Classique
Moderate decanting (30-45 minutes) for sur Lies
Extended decanting (1-2 hours) for Barrique
The reduction in these wines isn't a flaw—it's a sign of minimal intervention winemaking. Give them air.
Glassware: These wines deserve quality stems. The aromatics are subtle; large, cheap glasses will disperse them. Invest in good glassware—it transforms the experience.
THE CHASSELAS CONVERSATION
Why These Wines Matter
Chasselas is Switzerland's most planted white variety, but remains internationally misunderstood. Most people's only reference is mass-produced, high-yielding examples that taste pleasant but unremarkable.
What Charlène proves: When you combine exceptional terroir (limestone, old vines, poor soils), thoughtful viticulture (biological, low yields, careful canopy management), and technical precision, Chasselas transforms.
It becomes:
A terroir transmitter of exceptional clarity
A mineral wine of serious complexity
An age-worthy white with development potential
A gastronomic partner of remarkable versatility
The International Context:
There's growing recognition of terroir-driven white wines beyond Chardonnay:
Grüner Veltliner in Austria
Chenin Blanc in the Loire and South Africa
Assyrtiko in Greece
Chasselas in Switzerland (emerging)
Riesling in Germany and Austria
Charlène's wines prove the variety deserves serious consideration alongside the world's great white wine grapes.
The Chablis Comparison
I've compared the Barrique "Les Crains" to Chablis Premier Cru. Let me explain why:
Similarities:
Limestone terroir expression
Mineral-driven character
Precision and tension
Oak is used for texture, not flavour
Aging potential
Food-pairing versatility
Differences:
Chasselas shows more salinity, less fruit
Chablis has more weight, more obvious power
Chasselas is more delicate, requires more attention
Chablis is more forgiving in service
The Point: It's not about claiming Chasselas equals Chardonnay or that Switzerland equals Burgundy. It's about recognising that exceptional terroir, old vines, and skilled winemaking can elevate any variety.
Charlène has proven that Chasselas deserves a place at the serious wine table.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Why is there a reduction in these wines?
A: Reduction (struck match, flint aromas) is a sign of minimal intervention winemaking with native yeasts and no SO2 addition at fermentation. It's not a flaw; it's a quality marker that resolves with aeration. It indicates the wine hasn't been manipulated or stripped.
Q: Can Chasselas really age?
A: Most Chasselas can't. But these wines—especially the Barrique—have the acidity, structure, and terroir signature to develop beautifully over 8-12 years. The limestone provides natural preservation.
Q: Is the Barrique worth the premium over Classique?
A: Yes, if you appreciate revolutionary winemaking and want to experience what's possible with Chasselas. No, if you just want delicious everyday white wine (Classique is perfect for that).
Q: Which vintage should I buy?
A: Buy current release (2024 for Chasselas, 2023 for Pinot). These wines are made to drink, not to speculate on vintage variation. The quality is consistently excellent. Keep in mind to come every vintage to see the evolution of Charlène's work.
Q: How does this compare to Chablis/Burgundy?
A: It doesn't try to. These are Swiss wines expressing Swiss terroir. The Barrique has comparable quality to Premier Cru Chablis but its own personality. That's the point—world-class wine that's distinctly itself.
Related Collections:
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Last Updated: October 2025
These notes represent my professional assessment based on extensive tasting with the producer. Your experience may vary based on storage conditions, serving temperature, and personal preferences.
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