In a warming world perennially in search of freshness, Chablis is often the answer. Even amid recent scorching dry summers, many winemakers were able to channel the stony precision of Chablis into beautifully balanced wines.
The 2021 vintage was cooler and wetter than recent years, and a welcome return to classical style after several years of unusual ripeness and heat. The best of these Chablis are simply magnificent, the only problem is their scarcity. We’re thrilled to have two terrific Chablis producers (Collet and Gautheron), and are excited to release another knockout premier cru today.
The Vaillons premier cru lies on a slope parallel to Montmains on Chablis’s left bank, known as a source of chiseled, vibrant wines. Gautheron’s Vaillons 2021 is round and full on the palate despite the vintage’s relative freshness. Morris gave it 90-93 points, writing: “Very pale colour, with impressive tension on the nose. The stones are there and a bit of flesh, too, pure and typical with the usual dry finish. Old vines here. Really very long.”
This is everything you want from Chablis – savory intensity, perfectly ripe fruit, brisk stony backbone and laser focused finish. This needs no accompaniment – a delicious, elegant, complete glass of white Burgundy on its own. But should hunger force your hand, this will match anything in need of zip – scallops, creamy oysters, swordfish, lobster, chicken sausages, etc.
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Gautheron Chablis 1er “Vaillons” 2021
bottle price: $42
