I know, we need another “what … are you drinking” like we need a hole in the head, but hey, it’s summer, I love the stuff and I’m opening a lot of Chablis.
This week:
2010 La Chablisienne Château Grenouilles
I’ve been loving La Chablisienne Frog since the '05 vintage. Alway a steal (sub $50 for my 2010) for this spectacular GC vineyard.
The '10 has impressive density, heady while balanced by ample cut and salinity. Equal parts citrus and orchard fruits. This has years of joy to deliver; I drank it over 7 days, keeping the unfinished portions in the refrigerator without any decline.
2012 Domaine Servin Chablis Les Preuses
This has the obligate GC concentration and minerality. A squirt of lemon, crushed rocks and some great floral notes. Great mouthfeel and cut.
Servin never fails to impress me, and for some reason the prices remain very attractive. $39? Yes please.
2013 Laurent Tribut Chablis Beauroy
Tasty and interesting. It has an earthy bitter grapefruit palate; again, nice saline and lemony nose. Satiny mouthfeel for a Chablis, puckering acidity. Laurent Tribut is René Dauvissat’s son-in-law, I’m not surprised that this is so good.
Recently a couple of very good Brocard 2012 Premier Crus, may have been the Vaulorent. And I guess I prefer the wines of L Tribut to those of his father in law, at least on comparable cru levels.
I have to admit (and please don’t judge!) to drinking Chablis all year round. Yum. Last bottle I opened was a 2008 Fevre Bougros, my last sadly. I have a few Fevre and Dauvissat 2010s that are unlikely to survive 2016.
We have been enjoying the Kirkland 14 Premiere Cru for $15.Given the effect of Climate change, it tastes like a macon on steroids with almost California fruit .
2012 Drouhin-Vaudon Vaudesir. Really tasty and Grand Cru juice for $32 at a local retailer. I would have bought all that they have if it not had been for the cork indicating some heat exposure.
Drank the 2012 Costal 1er Vaillons last night (with a bunch of other stuff). Kermit Lynch brings it in, and while very tasted, well made and well balanced, seems a little bit more of a straight up chardonnay than other Chablis (maybe warm vintage?). Not so much of that dry, dry slate-y minerality (nor quite so much acid) and more body than \ some, but still very happy to drink, especially at the price.
I too drink a lot of Chablis—all year round really, but summer all the more.
Bottles over the last month:
2013 William Fèvre Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume
Pale yellow. Unpleasant, sulfurous reduction eventually blows off to reveal a mineral driven nose of crushed rock and lime blossom. Apple, minerality, and salinity on the tight palate. This should unwind with a few more years rest. Drink starting 2019. (89 pts.)
2013 Gilbert Picq & ses Fils Chablis 1er Cru Vosgros
Green-tinged yellow. Nose of pear, oyster shell, and botrytis-derived honeyed notes. Fleshy in the mouth, weighty and fruity as is usual for this producer, but also showing some of 2013’s exotic side. Finishes spicy, almost Gewürztraminer-esque. The Picq Vosgros is an interesting wine but not particularly Chablis in character, showing late picked and vintage over varietal and terroir traits. Drink now through 2020. (89 pts.)
2013 Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
Bright straw. There’s a bit of matchstick reduction, followed by apple, acacia, iodine, and just a hint of oaky spice. Minerality and great acidity drives the palate. Like many 2013s, this wine is accessible in its youth, but will reward patience. Drink starting 2020. (93 pts.)
2012 Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
Reticent nose of citrus, white flower, and oyster shell. As with many 2012s, the Brocard Les Clos is in a bit of a shutdown phase. I’d wait at least a few years.
2014 Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils Chablis
Pale yellow. Bright, attractive nose with ginger, white pepper, and crushed rock notes. Minerality and salinity dominate, with a lean frame and nice acidity. The 2014 Moreau is one of the finer Chablis Villages. This may develop complexity with age, but it will make a very nice oyster wine for the next few years. (89 pts.)
2012 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons
Bright yellow. A nose of delicate purity, with lemon, white flower, and iodine notes. Nice tension. Intense, lengthy, saline finish. The 2012 Vaillons exhibits more restraint than the vintage is known for, but fortunately it does show 2012’s excellent acidity and structure for aging. Drink starting 2020. (91 pts.)
2014 Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons
(From 375ml bottle) Youthful, primary, and closed, with lemon, white pepper, and oyster shell. Austere on the palate, dry finish, salinity and minerality throughout. This needs time. Drink starting 2020. (90 pts.)
2013 Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis 1er Cru Vau de Vey
Apple, floral, and iodine on the nose. A pretty Chablis, a bit green, with great minerality. The 2013 Vau de Vey is lovely and will provide great early drinking. (90 pts.)
2013 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis 1er Cru La Forest
Bright green-tinted yellow. Reticent nose of iodine, oyster shell, and lemon peel. Austere but not harsh, with citrus and minerals on the huge finish. As usual, Dauvissat’s La Forêt is a captivating, gorgeous wine, but here it will take time to shed it’s rough edges and open up. Drink starting 2020. (92 pts.)
2013 Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Domaine Sainte Claire Vieilles Vignes
Medium, bright yellow. Alluring nose shows honeyed stone fruit and gobs of minerality. Light and crisp, with balanced acidity. Brocard continues to impress me with wines that are a great value—and, here, just great. (90 pts.)
2011 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Chapelot
Wow this is a gorgeous Chablis. It begins with a nose of white peach, white flower, and an intriguing herbal note, trailed by just a hint of integrated & attractive reduction. Elegant, stylish, and understated yet not lacking in intensity, with nice acidity and flavors of citrus, honey, salinity, and minerality. Two thousand and eleven vintage Chablis tend to be either elegant and racy (due to the cool vintage) or weak and flabby (due to the rain and early harvest). Thankfully the 2011 Raveneau Chapelot is the former. Chapelot is a subparcel of Montée de Tonnerre that, when vinified separately as Raveneau occasionally does, produces richer, riper wines than its parent climat on account of its exposure. Drink now through 2025. (92 pts.)
2009 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses
Light, bright yellow. Gorgeous, delineated nose of lemon peel, blossom honey, and crushed rock. Striking, rich, and complex. The palate shows citrus, salinity, minerality, and great acidity. Huge finish. The 2009 Les Preuses is fantastic! Good now and for years to come. (93 pts.)
Had sushi with my better half for dinner last night and drank two 2005’s from Christian Moreau, a Blanchot and a Valmur.
Both non-premoxed, and we both preferred the Valmur, but it was a close race. My last bottles, and the fact that I feel compelled to drink Grand Cru Chablis at this age is one reason why I don’t tend to buy a lot of it anymore.
2012 Gilbert Picq & ses Fils Chablis 1er Cru Vosgros- France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru (7/9/2016)
This was quite a bit different than the Michel Vaillions we had last night. I thought this may have been a little reduced, as it was just a bit funky initially. Not quite sulfur, but a fairly strong flinty, smokey note initially which blew off some with some air. This lacked a bit of acid but it was not flabby, just not razor sharp. Light saline, a little cream on the finish. I preferred last night’s Michel, though this was solid, and several people commented on how much they enjoyed this wine.
2011 Domaine Louis Michel Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons- France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru (7/7/2016)
Delicious once again. Lots of mineral, flint, wet stone and salinity. Green and yellow apple and light citrus. Medium plus acid keeps it lively. We both enjoyed it.
2011 Raoul Gautherin & Fils Validesirs GC. We had it last night with sushi while watching Downton Abbey. Adrian Gautherin interned with us several years ago.
2014 Domaine Pattes Loup Chablis Vent d’Ange - Drinking wonderfully with all the sea spray, crushed rocks, citrus one could want from a village Chablis. Very sleek and taut. A lovely wine of great purity and intensity.
2009 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis 1er Cru Vaulorent - A 2009 that does not lack acid or minerals and is absolutely fantastic! No signs of pre-mox and should continuing to evolve providing an extra dimension of pleasure.
Right now, Damien & Romain Bouchard Vaillons 2012. Delicious but needs more time. (Opened on exploratory basis while I fix dinner as I’m not familiar with this producer). Quite ripe but acid to balance.
Will post later on what I opened last night and and … Chablis is more or less our house white!
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