chablis

CHABLIS TRIPLE PLAY FROM COLLET

It may appear to some that we write disproportionately about Chablis. Well, to be honest, we’ve long been fans of the region. But, perhaps more to the point, it has been increasingly difficult to find things to get excited about. First off, pricing in Burgundy overall has become even more expensive even to those of us that have been around it for quite some time. Add to that the dual effect of global warming, and the success rate seems to have been greatly reduced.

First off, these days, it seems they have some sort of weather disaster on a regular basis. There have been a few untimely frosts over the last few years that have decimated the size of the crop almost to the point where you wonder how these folks can make ends meet. Farming in Chablis these days would hardly be a proposition that would invite outside investment given the variability in the crop size.

Perhaps more consistently problematic is the increasingly warm growing seasons threaten the mojo of Chablis itself. As we have also said of Sancerre, the riper vintages and lower acidity presented by global warming make far to many examples from the region today taste fat and flabby, definitely not the crisp, flinty profile that makes Chablis, well, Chablis. So when we do run across something that gives us a wine that is crisp, linear, vibrant, truly terroir driven and packed with nuances of the marine soils that define the region, these days that is newsworthy.

Within that context, 2021 was a cooler, closer to normal (from a weather standpoint anyway) vintage for fans of traditional Chablis. The producer in this case was Jean Collet, a domaine we have featured a few times of late because they are, unlike a lot of other sources in the region, are still making Chablis that tastes like Chablis, really good Chablis as a matter of fact.

The aromas all centered on the happy scents of crisp apples, ripe limes, and seashells, with a fine underpinning of acidity to support a fruit component that was giving but with the proper amount of tension. In other words, delicious Chablis bottlings that were well made, terroir driven examples of what they were supposed to be. We tasted four and bought three because each one was such a spot-on, focused expression of their distinct Crus. Thrillingly ‘real’ Chablis…tasting notes from Burghound and quite good scores for him.

Domaine Jean Collet Chablis Les Forêts 2021 (90-93 ♥)-“A slightly riper nose features nose of white peach, sea breeze, citrus confit and quinine. There is again fine volume and intensity to the relatively powerful, even muscular, medium-weight flavors that flash ample minerality on the youthfully austere, balanced and more complex finale.”

Domaine Jean Collet Chablis Montmains 2021 (90-92)-“A much more floral nose expresses nuances of citrus confit and spice if more moderate amounts of Chablis character. There is however both better volume and refinement to the medium-bodied flavors that offer a lovely minerality on the lingering, balanced and delicious finale. If this can add depth with a few years in bottle it could be excellent.”

Jean Collet et Fils Chablis 1er Cru Montee de Tonnerre 2021 (90-93 ♥)-“Discreet but still noticeable wood easily allows the elegant floral-suffused aromas of mineral reduction, lemon rind and sea breeze. The racy, wonderfully refined and beautifully detailed flavors exude a bracing minerality on the youthfully austere and impressively long finale. This too needs more depth but appears to have the necessary stuffing to develop it.”

ANOTHER RISING STAR IN CHABLIS

We’ll start with what is essentially the importer’s notes. Sebastien Christophe is a budding superstar from Chablis but is the ultimate underdog. While known for its stolid rigidity, France’s wine culture still allows for a lot of mobility. That’s how a young kid gifted just a couple of acres of average vineyard land in Chablis could rise up seemingly out of nowhere to make brilliant wine from the three most heralded Premier Crus in the region. That happened because he was also gifted with a good bit of moxie and a cranking work ethic, which will you get far anywhere.

What makes Sebastien’s wines so great? Well, as is the case in Chablis, it’s not the winemaking, which is pretty standard for the region, as the goal here is never to showcase cellar prowess, but rather the nature of the vineyard itself. Sebastien vinifies and ages wine overwhelmingly in stainless steel, as is the general practice of the region. Less than 10% of the wines see cellar aging in neutral oak barrels, providing a little textural and structural contrast to the bristly energy of stainless steel.
He started with a small half hectare parcel of Petit Chablis from his family and made a run for it. After winemaking school he started to vinify this tiny parcel and has slowly acquired small parcels of village vineyards and a lot of Petit Chablis land. He also rents parcels that he farms entirely himself. Today, he has three premier crus on the right bank of the Serein river, Fourchaume, Mont de Milieu and Montée de Tonnerre. Except for the wines designated for Paris hotspots, almost all of his wines are exported.

Chablis itself is a place that is changing. Obviously the soils and exposures remain the same. But the warming climate and consequential erratic weather have had impact. There have been unpredictable frosts that have devastated some harvest. Plus the heat can have a negative effect on acidity. But there are some plusses. You don’t get searing acidity as much these days. The problem is actually maintaining adequate acidity to support the fruit and keep the mineral laced, brisk backbone that is an important part of the region’s identity. The best winemakers like Sebastien know what to do, and Mont de Milieu is a vineyard has many faces stylistically depending on the producer, but is a perfect ‘centrist’ for today’s Chablis.

The grapes are picked by hand, pressed, settled in tank overnight, then racked off the heavy sediments after one day before beginning its low temperature fermentation. The spontaneous wild yeast fermentation lasts between 1-2 months and takes place in stainless steel (80%) and the remainder in 228-liter oak barrels (new, 1-, 2- and 3-year-old, the total new wood is approximately 7%). Battonage (lees stirring) is sometimes made, but only in the steel tanks and the frequency depends on the vintage—warm years nothing and in colder ones no more than two times.

This Christophe Chablis Mont de Milieu 2021 shows the perfect combination of the more tender fruit of these warmer times but with perfectly proportioned minerality and acidity to stay true to its origins. Apple, apricot, and lime alongside chalky minerality and some salinity, it is clean and insistent but with just the right volume. It is for Chablis drinkers to enjoy and not designed to overpower. In other words, perfectly engaging. None of the media has caught up to this vintage as yet (many are several vintages behind with this producer) so there is nothing else to add to our own enthusiastic recommendation. Well priced for the performance and pedigree.

EXCITING ‘INSIDER’ FIND IN CHABLIS

There are always new things to discover with wine. As odd as it may sound, the other day we ran across a designation we had never seen before. Now that, in and of itself, isn’t necessarily shocking. There are lots of new things coming to light in wine as new areas and producers are appearing as the world becomes smaller and more connected. But we are talking about Chablis, a place that has existed as a wine appellation for centuries within the same boundaries more or less, and our buying team that, combined, is approaching a century of experience.

The producer is one that is pretty familiar around here, Chateau des Malandes in Chablis. Founded in 1949 by the grand parents of the current owners, it was run until 2018 by their daughter, Lyne Marchive. We have sold the wines for years and they have always had a very appealing, some might say ‘feminine’ style. Malandes Chablis, while portraying the various terroirs from which they came, always had in common a tender, fruit-driven palate feel and rather gentle demeanor. Thus far not much has changed under the guidance of son Richard and daughter Amandine, and that’s a good thing.

The estate has holdings in a number of Premier Cru climats including Vau de Vey, Lechets, Montmains, Fourchaume and Mont de Milieu, as well as Grand Crus Vaudesir and Le Clos. But the subject of this piece is, as we said, something we had never seen until this bottling, the Domaine de Malandes Chablis ‘Envers de Valmur’ 2019. This is what they call a ‘lieu dit’ or ‘named vineyard’ in Burgundy. Essentially they are naming the vineyard on the bottle even though it does not have an official designation, something not that unusual in in the Cote d’Or but not all that common in Chablis.

As we all know about Burgundy, location is everything. We have talked many times about relatively unknown parcels that exist in close proximity to famous ones, and how the potential can far exceed the price commanded. That is the case here. This 1.6 ha parcel exists on the backside of the hill of Grand Cru vineyard Valmur (envers de Valmur literally means ‘behind Valmur’), and face west looking out at Grand Cru Vaudesir. The vines were planted in 1967 and typically deliver small, concentrated berries that give the wine plenty of punch and acidity as well as well-woven minerality.

The vineyard is farmed organically and the fruit sees time in oak vessels from one to seven years old with the purpose of rounding the wine and giving it a creamy texture while not letting pronounced wood notes get in the way of the vineyard terroir. The plush, inviting, somewhat gentle texture and palate feel has been a consistent feature of Malandes wines for as long as we have known them. Given this wine and the location, one has to wonder why this vineyard was never given any ‘official’ standing.

Like we said, we had not seen this designation before and there isn’t a lot of it anyway (about 900 cases produced). But it didn’t slip past the folks at Decanter Magazine who wrote, “Domaine des Malandes is a 29ha estate with the ‘Envers de Valmur’ an intriguing ‘insiders’ choice from vineyards abutting Grand Cru Vaudésir. Classic in colour, aroma and flavour profile on the palate, this is a fine Chablis with great potential for further ageing. Bright, focussed and mineral with a lovely balance between freshness, bright acidity and ripe fruit flavours. Long and precise on the finish… 94 Points!

This would have been an email but there really wasn’t enough juice to support that. We bought everything there was anyway because it is simply a lovely, well-priced example of the genre from a vintage that looks like it is going to get some attention.

DISTINCTIVE 2006 DUO FROM DANIEL-ETIENNE DEFAIX

We have spoken of our penchant for Chablis many times, and how Chablis, the region, is in a better place than it has ever been. There is a great range of activity there these days, classic producers as well as passionate newcomers that are expanding the style range of the region within the context of the classic chalky terroir. Even within the broad context of today, Daniel-Etienne Defaix is no ordinary Chablis producer. This guy is in the ‘aged Chablis’ business and we have had numerous great experiences with his wines dating back more than two decades. That makes him ‘the exception’ over a period of time where premature oxidation has changed people’s expectations about aging white Burgundy. And he does it for you!

His whole approach is not only different, it would be virtually impossible to imitate starting from scratch. For Defaix, aged Chablis is his raison d’etre. He has extensive holdings in Chablis and sells most of his harvest “en vrac” (in bulk). This affords him the capital to underwrite long aging of cuvees from selected lots of wine. First, only a small percentage of his produce actually finds its way into his bottlings in the first place. He retains the very best juice for his own label.

At that point, as we understand it, the wine ages for at least two years in vertical tanks with the lees in constant suspension. Each month or two the lees are pumped up-and-over the wine via an external tube with no exposure to air. Those lees circulate and descend through the vat over the next days and weeks in a state of suspension thus enriching the wine as they pass through.

Defaix decides when to bottle and then ages the wines in bottle until he deems them ready for prime time. He is in no particular hurry and ‘go time’ might not come for more than a decade. But when the wine then hits the shelves, it is in a state of near-perfect readiness. No one else conducts business in this manner. Not sure anyone could. As a number of you found out from the two rounds of offers we did with Defaix’s 2005s, the results are magic.

Today we are pleased to roll out an intriguing pair of 2006s we just tasted. We’ll tell you right up front that Defaix does not go out of his way to court the press and these wines have not been reviewed as yet. But 2006 is a better vintage and this pair is better respectively than those delightful, reviewed 2005s we sold before. Also, they couldn’t be more different from each other which is a pretty sensational demonstration of what terroir is all about.

The Daniel-Etienne Defaix Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 2006 panders in a way that only aged Chablis can. The vines (average age 45 years) are planted on a 28-degree slope in the original parcel of “Vaillon” with a southeast exposure. The soil here is particularly influenced by iron deposits which yields a wine of fruit and spice and great density. The Vaillons is influenced by notes of forest floor and subtle, more iron-like minerality, and is often the most generous wine of the domaine. That generality definitely applies here. The Vaillon has classic apple and citrus fruit up front laced with typical salinity and mineral notes. As it rolls across the palate, it flashes some lifted but surprisingly butter-like notes as well, sort of Chablis meets Cote de Beaune. Delightful, elegant and very civilized, this will appeal to a broad audience with its show of refinement, creamier palate and tender-but-insistent finish.

The Daniel-Etienne Defaix Chablis 1er Cru Cote de Lechet 2006 is more about power and exhibits what Defaix’s careful, purposeful process can deliver. If you are more of a ‘hard-core’ lover of Chablis, this one will ring your bell. It is truly spectacular in a different way. Defaix’s holdings in the Cote de Lechet are on a 38 degree slope facing southeast. Most of the grapes come from a single parcel called ‘Clos des Moines’. The vines are on average 45 years of age, and naturally have smaller yields, thus more concentrated fruit. This specific vineyard section has the reputation of being “the most emphatic and pure expression of the minerality.” That’s the story here, surprising size, stoniness, power, texture and energy, particularly for a 14-year-old white. Amazing.

Once again you have classic, perfectly proportioned Chablis at its optimum and showing a distinct display of the terroir. That is the Defaix way. Considering the effort and time to produce these wines, at these prices they are simply some of the better deals on premium Chablis we’ve encountered.

‘OLD’ CHABLIS LABEL IS NEW TO US

There is always room for another classy Chablis around here, and this one has all the right stuff. The 2018 vintage has been an interesting one for white Burgundies in general. There was plenty of ripe fruit like 2015, a vintage where the wines generally suffered a lack of acidity and focus. But unlike 2015, you can’t make sweeping generalizations about 2018s. Sure we have run across some of those. But there are also many that have just barely enough acidity to hold them together and, because they do, are enormously pleasurable to drink, if a little atypical.

The Domaine de la Meuliere is different yet again. You would describe it as a slightly riper version of ‘classic’ Chablis, with all of the traditional trapping of green apple and citrus fruit foiled succinctly by a more restrained version of the chalky, flinty salinity that makes Chablis what it is. The slightly more tender palate feel makes this an ideal example to serve folks who aren’t as experienced with the genre, yet there is plenty to love for hardcore Chablis fans like us.

This Laroche family (there are others) has been producing in Chablis from their 24-hectare property since 1780. Claude Laroche was the one that got the inspiration to create a domaine in 1984. Now sons Nicolas and Vincent are running the show, updating the prior seven generations’ knowledge with more modern takes on winemaking. The soils of the vineyard are classic Kimmerigeon with vines averaging 25 years of age.

The grapes are harvested by hand, sorted, and done completely in stainless steel where the wine subsequently rests for nine months. This is our first ‘dance’ with Meuliere, but the delicacy, purity and authenticity of this wine compelled us to add it to the lineup, and the relative tenderness of the 2018 vintage gives it a broader appeal while still being true to type.

THE OTHER DAUVISSAT

In ancient growing areas, there are families whose names become inexorably connected to the region through long time association and success. Reverdy in Sancerre is such a name where the reputation is associated with one house in particular, but the name through extended familial connections appears on many labels. On Chablis, the name Dauvissat is a revered one for those who appreciate the best in traditional styling. Vincent and Rene Dauvissat are the icon source and among the most respected in all of Chablis alongside Raveneau, names notwithstanding. But a family that has been in an area for a long time should be expected to have some sort of family tree.

We have sold a number of V&R Dauvussat’s Chabis over the years, as well as a few things from extended family members Jean & Sebastien Dauvissat. Agnes et Didier Dauvissat are new to us and, themselves, are distant cousins who worked in vineyards but, prior to 1987, owned no vines. Their estate is in the town of Beine about ten minutes west of Chablis.

Thanks to the familial connection, Didier did do his apprenticeship with Vincent. There are three different estates with this Dauvissat moniker, this being the youngest. But whatever the gene is for making good Chablis, these folks seem to have inherited it. We tasted three wines from the estate, a Petit Chablis, Chablis ‘villages’, and a Beauroy 1er Cru from the 2017 vintage.

While we would happily consume any one of them, the Agnes et Didier Dauvissat Chablis 1er Cru Beauroy 2017 was simply too good to say no to. This is a powerful, classic Chablis with intense minerality and salinity exploding out of the pear/citrus fruit. Stop and smell the rocks? This Chablis grabbed our attention even among an impressive lineup of other and the authoritative palate and overt ‘Chablisness’ made it most memorable.

Since this plot, called the Cote de Savant, is located on the slope that sits above the pond, the presence of the water has the micro-climatic effect of mediating temperatures when the weather gets warm. The vines are hitting 20 years old with this vintage. This particular presentation added a lot of information to the database. This Dauvissat definitely has chops and is another to pay attention to. The 2017 vintage in Chablis is at least very good to excellent based on what we have tasted thus far, but there is precious little of this delicious, well-priced ($24.98) Premier Cru to go around (only about 500 bottles are produced).

THE NEXT CHABLIS SUPERSTAR: SEBASTIEN CHRISTOPHE

Chablis is an interesting place. The yellow soils are unlike anything we have seen anywhere else in the wine world. Yet for as uniform as the surface area appears, there is a great variation to the various elements of terroir and how it manifests in the hands of a broad array of producers. While people speak of the flinty aspects imparted by the Kimmeridgian and Portlandian soils, great Chablis is more than ‘how do you like your rocks’.

Some examples lean more chalky, some more like seashell in this ancient marine area, and a lot of producers can be successful by simply playing that aspect of the terroir. But the real differentiating factor is how the fruit plays. It is remarkable how specific the profiles of the various Crus play out, with Les Clos having a more floral and peachy undercurrent to Grenouille with its extremely flinty, more savory profile. We love quality Chablis in virtually any form, but there is a particular profile that is perhaps our favorite.

We picked up on a certain aspect of fruit, for lack of a better description, sour apple, back when we were exploring a new label we were quite excited with back in the early 90s called Raveneau. We saw a certain expression of that same apple and flint combination woven through the wines of Tomas Pico’s Pattes Loup. We see that again as a backdrop to the wines of the still relatively unknown Sebastien Christophe.

This guy isn’t in town but on the outskirts. His first property was a tiny parcel in Petit Chablis. But it has been clear from the first taste that this vigneron has special skills. His domain has expanded via rental and purchase, but if you make your bones with Petit Chablis and Chablis Villages, it may be a while before fame hits you. This guy is destined to be a force, but we are more than happy to quietly enjoy his appley, stony, bright, precise and reasonably fleshy Chablis at normal prices while the rest of the world figures it out.

The Christophe et Fils Chablis Village 2017 is not only beautifully made but reflects the specifics of a singular spot. The wine exhibits serious endowment of talented vineyards as most face the Grand Cru Blanchots and sit just behind the great 1er Cru Montee de Tonnerre. The soils are almost purely Kimmeridgian stones that are unusually brittle and sharp. It is a deeply savory and fully ripe wine that shows the greatest degree of what a Chablis “village” wine can accomplish.

In other words this does not show like an entry level Chablis, with a surprising density to the fruit that sits on top of perfectly proportioned acidity. It is of an unexpected quality and purity for ‘villages’ level and can play with Premier Cru efforts from other producers. We have been early to the table with a number of exceptional Chablis producers over the years, and we think this is one of those times. For under $30, it’s a find and one that has found its way into our own drinking rotation.

GREAT WHITES

I FAVATI FIANO di AVELLINO PIETRAMARA 2017: This house has been one of a small number of Fiano di Avellino sources we have worked with over the years, and probably the most consistent as far as quality goes. This is a definitive Campanian white with plenty subtle white stone fruit and floral aromatics alongside a high-toned minerality. The wine is fleshy and fairly unctuous, yet all is nicely defined by well-positioned, well-integrated acidity which gives a nice lift to everything.

The I Favati Fiano di Avellino Pietramara 2017 absolutely ‘blows up’ with lighter handed, herb based pasta or risotto dishes and whitefish and shellfish preparations. There’s a certain density and relaxed acidity that are kind of a surprise if you are coming from other genres of Italian whites, but that is exactly the charm of wines like Fiano and Greco di Tufo which make up their own unique stylistic subset. There are few frames of reference for these wines but this is one of the textbook examples of the breed and a consistent favorite around here. It has been a tre-bicchieri choice of Gambero Rosso on multiple occasions (this one not yet rated) as well.

PHILIPPE RAVIER CHIGNIN BERGERON 2017: First, for those that don’t know the genre, it’s probably not a bad idea to define our terms. This term Chignin-Bergeron refers to the appellation here in the Savoie which is, in turn, named for its only permitted grape variety. That grape variety is called Roussanne everywhere else. But it is fair to say that the character of the varietal is quite a bit different here in these pristine foothills in eastern France.

Sparkling streams, blue skies, this almost idyllic area yields wines of uncommon freshness with bright stone fruit and minerality taking the forefront and the typically heavy, soily, almost oxidative nature of Roussanne definitely not a major part of the profile here. These crisper, cooler versions have the honeyed tones and the earth elements present but dialed back. Bergeron gives a whole different impression when lifted and paired with a higher toned minerality that is a signature of this region.

Philippe and Sylvain Ravier cultivate 7 hectares of Roussanne (called Bergeron here as we said). The vines are between 10 and 30 years of age and are planted on very steep, due south-facing slopes of the Massif des Bauges at 1100-1500 feet altitude. The soil is rocky, decomposed white limestone which drains well while retaining heat to help ripen the grapes and the cool nights keep everything crisp. The fruit is harvested by hand, carefully sorted and moved into the press by gravity. After a light pressing, the must is protected from oxidization by a blanket of CO2.

The Philippe Ravier Vin de Savoie Chignin Bergeron 2017 has a rather surprising density to the delicate fruit that sits atop firm but giving acidity. Honey and nut elements play against the white stone fruit and flower core with subtle minerality throughout. Fresh and light on its feet, it’s a fine example of the category.

CHRISTIAN MOREAU CHABLIS 2016: Chablis has been a bit of a ‘sticky wicket’ of late thanks to the fact that quantities have been erratic over the last couple of vintages and the currently widespread 2015s are generally overtly ripe and not quite so Chablis-like in terms of lift and acidity. A few producers got it done right in terms of delivering wines that are true to type but still possess that essential combination of flesh and zip to pull it off. The Christian Moreau Chablis 2016 fills an important role as something the Chablis lover can go to with confidence.

Yes there is some volume in the mid-palate, but also the kind of zip one expects from Chablis with plenty of evident apple/citrus fruit up front that fades into a pleasing minerality. As Burghound puts it, this has ‘… enough Chablis character to be persuasive. The round, rich and more voluminous flavors possess good punch and concentration while delivering better depth and length on the somewhat drier finish.” That’s fair enough as a comment.

We like this as a great choice by virtue of the engaging, ‘drink me’ style that still says ‘Chablis’ in the glass and sells for a reasonable tab at a time where successful executions in this are much more scarce. This was not an easy vintage from a farming standpoint and quantities have been erratic thanks to quirks in the weather. So it’s great to have delicious a go-to in this important category. Few are this ‘on target’.