As summers in France become warmer and drier, the line between Chablis and the rest of white Burgundy has blurred. Chablis was once known for its piercing wines full of tension, minerality, and zip, in contrast to the rich, mouthfilling whites of the Côte d’Or. Today there’s less stylistic room between them, as very ripe grapes have turned Chablis a bit plumper – the wines are tasty, but often less distinct.
But some winemakers have found a way to preserve the old style. Jasper Morris writes “Cyril Gautheron is a superb producer making wines in a crisp cool classically Chablis style, which is now really quite hard to achieve in these warmer seasons.” Gautheron’s 2022s are a tour de force, and perfectly balanced marriage of fleshy fruit with brisk, vibrant mouthfeel.
We think Gautheron’s best premier cru is his old-vine Fourneaux “Vieilles Vignes” 2022 – it sees 15% oak, contributing layers and complexity without toast. Its most impressive feature, however, is its showy length on the palate, a result of the old vine concentration. The balance of depth, energy, fruit and stones here is just terrific. We expect lovely evolution and a long, happy life for this wine, but it’s magnificent already today.
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Gautheron Chablis 1er cru
“Fourneaux” Vieilles Vignes 2022
bottle price: $45
FREE EAST COAST SHIPPING ON ANY 12 BOTTLES
