We could debate for hours whether Chablis is still Chablis. To my regret, I don’t think it is. And whenever I look for a slice of old-school Chablis, I tend to venture towards the natural winemakers of the region who seem to be able to stay truer to the mineral and lemony expression. Even if that compromises on that typical Chablis-like acidity.
Anyhow. Nobody cares about what I think. Chablis is evolving. Because it has to. Whether that’s good for the region? Most likely not. Does it mean that no good, or even great wine is being made there anymore? Definitely not.
Pop’N’Pour. It’s hardly a surprise that this is shy upon opening. It’s a few months in bottle, max. With a bit of time, orchard fruit with peaches and nectarines. Touch of honeysuckle that adds a florality to the wine.
Smokey, flinty reduction, with a sort of vanilla marshmallow note making twist and turns around the fruit. It’s a seductive and elegant nose. The type of nose only Burgundy can deliver. The type of aromas that never bore, and keep inviting you back in.
As you’d expect from Chablis, the mineral structure is still there. Although I find it more difficult to detect in warmer vintages. Here that’s not the case. Weirdly, it literally smells and tastes like mineral water. Not your typical oyster shell or crushed chalk. Mineral water. You could almost see the wine and this mineral note as two separate currents.
It’s really quite dense on the palate, with lots of concentration and weight. It coats your mouth and has a literal heavy feel to it.
It leans more towards peach cream, and a butter-like quality. The finish is long and primarily fruit‑driven; had 2023 been slightly cooler, I suspect the acidity would have carried it further and with greater tension.
The thing is. This drinks more like Burgundy than Chablis. And I guess I’m okay with this? For this price, and I hate to say it, wines of this calibre are more difficult to find in Burgundy.
3PuttD
Great write-up. I agree that’s it’s harder and harder to find (what I think of as) Chablis. Newer Chablis almost reminds me more of Puligny.
JPATime
Great comment! Try Jeremy Arnaud, bang for a buck clean style Chablis.
Einachiel
Had a Dauvissat Montée de tonnerre 2014 with friends 2 weeks ago; it was such a treat!
4 Comments
We could debate for hours whether Chablis is still Chablis. To my regret, I don’t think it is. And whenever I look for a slice of old-school Chablis, I tend to venture towards the natural winemakers of the region who seem to be able to stay truer to the mineral and lemony expression. Even if that compromises on that typical Chablis-like acidity.
Anyhow. Nobody cares about what I think. Chablis is evolving. Because it has to. Whether that’s good for the region? Most likely not. Does it mean that no good, or even great wine is being made there anymore? Definitely not.
Pop’N’Pour. It’s hardly a surprise that this is shy upon opening. It’s a few months in bottle, max. With a bit of time, orchard fruit with peaches and nectarines. Touch of honeysuckle that adds a florality to the wine.
Smokey, flinty reduction, with a sort of vanilla marshmallow note making twist and turns around the fruit. It’s a seductive and elegant nose. The type of nose only Burgundy can deliver. The type of aromas that never bore, and keep inviting you back in.
As you’d expect from Chablis, the mineral structure is still there. Although I find it more difficult to detect in warmer vintages. Here that’s not the case. Weirdly, it literally smells and tastes like mineral water. Not your typical oyster shell or crushed chalk. Mineral water. You could almost see the wine and this mineral note as two separate currents.
It’s really quite dense on the palate, with lots of concentration and weight. It coats your mouth and has a literal heavy feel to it.
It leans more towards peach cream, and a butter-like quality. The finish is long and primarily fruit‑driven; had 2023 been slightly cooler, I suspect the acidity would have carried it further and with greater tension.
The thing is. This drinks more like Burgundy than Chablis. And I guess I’m okay with this? For this price, and I hate to say it, wines of this calibre are more difficult to find in Burgundy.
Great write-up. I agree that’s it’s harder and harder to find (what I think of as) Chablis. Newer Chablis almost reminds me more of Puligny.
Great comment! Try Jeremy Arnaud, bang for a buck clean style Chablis.
Had a Dauvissat Montée de tonnerre 2014 with friends 2 weeks ago; it was such a treat!