Winemaker: Romain Collet has transformed his humble family domaine in Chablis into a real source to watch. Jasper Morris MW calls writes that under Romain’s direcion, Domaine Collet is “moving towards joining the pantheon of the top quality outfits” in Chablis.
Vintage: After several years of damaging frosts in Chablis, 2018 provided much-needed relief: quantity and quality. Romain told us his 80-something grandmother said it was among the best crops she could remember. The resulting wines have been delightful: ripe and smooth, but with solid foundations and good tension; we expect them to drink well early.
Wine: There are no regulations concerning what qualifies as an “old vine” in France, but Collet’s would meet just about anyone’s standard. Planted in 1932, these vines have survived everything Nature (and man) have thrown at them over nine decades. So intense and complex is their juice that Romain uses zero new oak for this cuvée, choosing instead to let the pure fruit shine through.
And shine it does — the nose is clean, pure, and precise, showing pear and stones. The mouth is brisk and lively but also intense and smooth, with an enticing roundness punctuated by vibrant minerality. This is Chablis as it was meant to be: no oak, clean, pure, lively, and smooth. We only hope we reach 88 with this amount of vigor…
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Collet Chablis VV 2018
bottle price: $29
FREE EAST COAST SHIPPING ON ANY 12 BOTTLES
