We’ve imported Chablis from the Domaine Gautheron for nearly a decade. Cyril Gautheron’s precise, elegant, well-priced white Burgundies have become a staple at our warehouse tastings, our kitchen table, and the cellars of many of our readers.
A week ago, for the very first time since they joined our portfolio, we ran out completely at the warehouse – not a single bottle of any cuvée from any vintage. It’s a mark of just how good these wines are: classic, honest Chablis priced to enjoy at a moment’s notice.
But unlike the scarcity of Purell or canned foods at your local grocer, our Gautheron shortage lasted only a few days. On Wednesday we received over a hundred cases of their excellent 2018s — our three standby cuvées, and an exciting new one.
We’re starting with a favorite: the old-vine cuvée. Drawn from vines planted in the 1950s, the Chablis VV shows excellent dry material. There’s no oak apparent, and the wine shows a soft savory spice that suggests grape skins, herbs, and dried flowers. Think Chablis that wants to be Muscadet: dry, intense, stony, and full of life.
For those worried that the European heatwave of Summer 2018 would produce flat wines missing character and life, fear not. At Gautheron, at least, they show an extra dose of weight, but never lose their freshness. This is Chardonnay in its purest form, and a bargain under $30.
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Gautheron Chablis VV 18
bottle price: $29
FREE EAST COAST SHIPPING ON ANY 12 BOTTLES
