2020 Raoul Gautherin Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons

2020 Raoul Gautherin Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons

with No Comment $40-$50BurgandyChablisFranceKevin Vogt

RAOUL GAUTHERIN

CHABLIS 1ER CRU
VAILLONS 2020

2020 Raoul Gautherin Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons
Since 1585 the Gautherin family has cultivated vines on Chablis’ most exposed hillside sites, crafting beautiful wines that tell a detailed story of their origins. Because of low intervention in the vineyard and winery, natural yeasts, and limited or no use of oak, Chablis is one of the purest expressions of Chardonnay worldwide.
 
Raoul Gautherin’s father and son team relies on familial knowledge passed down over several generations and sustainable farming practices that focus on the vitality of the vines to produce world-class wines. The Vaillons Premier Cru vineyard produces wines with distinct minerality and delicate white fruit aromatics, making it one of Chablis’ most desired sites. The 2020 vintage provided wines with rich flavors and deep complexity that are dangerously easy to drink now and will pay tribute to those with the patience to cellar and age.
 
RAOUL GAUTHERIN
CHABLIS 1ER CRU
VAILLONS 2020
 
 
 
“The Raoul Gautherin 2020 1er Cru Chablis opens with expressive notes of chamomile, yellow apple, bread dough, chalky minerality, and oceanic salinity. On the palate, the wine has a silky smooth texture with flavors of apple, quince, apricot, and pastry. This wine has an impeccable balance of rich flavors and bright acidity that flows into a long finish.”
95 Points
2020 Fillon and Fils Petit-Chablis France

2020 Fillon and Fils Petit-Chablis France

with No Comment $30 and underBurgandyChablisFranceKevin Vogt

FILLON & FILS

PETIT-CHABLIS 2020
PETIT-CHABLIS FRANCE

2020 Fillon and Fils Petit-Chablis France
Domaine Fillon & Fils was established in the early 20th century and opened its first wine-tasting cellar in 1935 in the village of Saint-Bris-le-Vineux. The winery continues operation in the hands of the same family and still produces every wine in-house from their 90 acres of vines.
 
Chablis is located southeast of Paris in the northern part of Burgundy, where the harsh, cold winters and short, hot summers create the ideal environment for the racy, brightly styled Chardonnay famous worldwide. Petit Chablis is a style within Chablis with a less strict aging requirement and aimed at an easy-drinking wine with freshness and vibrant acidity, and this 2020 Petit Chablis is the epitome of just that.
 
FILLON & FILS
PETIT-CHABLIS 2020
PETIT-CHABLIS FRANCE
 
 
 
“The Domaine Fillon 2020 Petit Chablis opens with delicate floral notes, lemon zest, cream, brioche, and a chalky minerality. On the palate, the wine has a light body with mouthwatering acidity and flavors of crisp green apple, peach yogurt, and pastry dough. The wine has a lively finish and is dangerously easy to drink.”
93 Points
2020 Maison Harbour Bourgogne Chardonnay Cote D'Or

2020 Maison Harbour Bourgogne Chardonnay Cote D’Or

with No Comment $40-$50BurgandyChablisChardonnayFrance

MAISON HARBOUR

BOURGOGNE CHARDONNAY
COTE D’OR 2020

2020 Maison Harbour Bourgogne Chardonnay Cote D'Or
Colleen and Nick Harbour are North American natives who met while studying abroad in Luxembourg and returned to Europe in 2008 after university studies. They found themselves immersed in the local wine scene, leading to a passion for wine but a waning interest in their daily jobs. Nick and Colleen officially moved to Burgundy in 2011, where Nick attended wine school in Beaune while Colleen pursued an internship at Maison Champy, making lifelong friends that connected the couple with small growers’ vineyard parcels.
 
Nick and Colleen’s winemaking revolves around expertly farmed fruit from distinct parcels and a hands-off approach in the cellar, allowing the glorious Burgundian terroir to shine through in their wines. The 2020 Bourgogne Chardonnay Côte d’Or comes from vines just below the village of Puligny-Montrachet, matured for 16 months in neutral 228-liter barrels and stainless steel, promoting the purity of the fruit and the essence of this iconic vineyard location.
 
MAISON HARBOUR
BOURGOGNE CHARDONNAY
COTE D’OR 2020
 
Your Price: $48
 
 
“Bright, fresh, clean, and pure, showing minerality, energy, focus and tension. Midweight, balanced and structured, with flavors of pears and nectarines, great acidity and a long, cleansing finish. From vines just below the village of Puligny-Montrachet, this Bourgogne seriously over delivers. Aged for 16 months in neutral oak barrels and stainless steel tanks before bottling.”
2019 Sophie Cinier Macon-Fuisse Les Perrieres

2019 Sophie Cinier Macon-Fuisse Les Perrieres

with No Comment $30-$40BurgandyChablisChardonnayFranceKevin Vogt

SOPHIE CINIER

MÂCON-FUISSÉ
LES PERRIÉRES 2019

2019 Sophie Cinier Macon-Fuisse Les Perrieres
Sophie Cinier took over her family’s small estate near Fuissé in 2000, immersing herself in farming while selling grapes to local producers. Five years later, Sophie’s passion for her vineyards extended into the cellar, and realizing the immense quality of her fruit, she produced her first vintage. 
 
The region of Mâcon-Fuissé lies at the end of the most extended range in the Mâcconais, positioned on either side of Pouilly-Fuissé, lying within a topographical bowl of reef-like composites of limestone. Sandwiched in the middle of several Pouilly-Fuissé vineyards, Les Perrières contains vines averaging nearly 30 years, producing fruit with remarkable intensity and sophistication. Sophie fermented this wine using native yeasts before aging it in neutral oak for 22 months for an exquisite combination of richness and vibrancy, offering immense value.
 
SOPHIE CINIER
MÂCON-FUISSÉ
LES PERRIÉRES 2019
 
Your Price: $36
 
 
“Dried-apple and fresh-pear aromas with a touch of spice. Medium body with a bright, spicy-fruit palate that pushes long. Solid chardonnay. Drink now.”
92 Points
2018 Agnes et Didier Dauvissat Chablis Burgundy France

2018 Agnes et Didier Dauvissat Chablis Burgundy France

with No Comment $30 and underBurgandyChablisChardonnayFranceKevin Vogt

AGNÈS et DIDIER DAUVISSAT

CHABLIS 2018
BURGUNDY, FRANCE

2018 Agnes et Didier Dauvissat Chablis Burgundy France
Agnès and Didier Dauvissat were vineyard workers who dreamed of vinifying wine from vineyards they owned, so they bought and planted their first small plot of vines in 1987. Today they hold just over 30 acres of vineyards spread across Petit Chablis, Chablis, Premier Cru Beauroy, Bourgogne Rouge, and Crémant de Bourgogne, producing terroir-distinct wines from each appellation.
 
Dauvissat is a prominent name in the area, and Didier’s cousin, Vincent, of a respected Chablisienne estate nearby, mentored Didier. The stylistic similarities in their wines go beyond the last name. The 2018 Chablis has clean, pure fruit aromatics and a crisp minerality from fermentation in stainless steel, a hallmark of the region that’s created a demand for unoaked Chardonnay worldwide.
 
AGNÈS et DIDIER DAUVISSAT
CHABLIS 2018
BURGUNDY, FRANCE
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
 
“Agnès et Didier Dauvissat 2018 Chablis opens with aromas of honeysuckle, applesauce, cinnamon, quince, and white chalk. On the palate, the wine has concentrated flavors of apple and pear with complementary, secondary characteristics of mascarpone and pastry dough. This wine has an impressive depth of aromas and flavors with mouthwatering acidity with incredible purity.”
95 Points
2020 Pascal Bouchard Chablis 'Le Classique' Burgundy

2020 Pascal Bouchard Chablis ‘Le Classique” Burgundy

with No Comment $30-$40BurgandyChablisFranceKevin Vogt

PASCAL BOUCHARD

CHABLIS ‘LE CLASSIQUE’
BURGUNDY 2020

2020 Pascal Bouchard Chablis 'Le Classique' Burgundy
Located in the heart of Chablis, Pascal Bouchard is passionately committed to delivering the finest expression of Chardonnay from this world-renowned region. The winery is equipped with state-of-the-art stainless steel fermentation tanks, allowing vibrant fruit characteristics to highlight their wines.
 
Florent Denieuil has been making Pascal Bouchard wines for over 20 years and has an intimate knowledge of their vineyards. He vinifies individual plots separately to ensure each site’s terroir transfers transparently into the final wine. “Le Classic” is his homage to the traditional Chablisienne wines, arguably the purest expression of Chardonnay worldwide. The 2020 vintage showcases the region’s hallmark minerality, perfectly balanced with fruit intensity in this delightful Chablis.
 
PASCAL BOUCHARD
CHABLIS ‘LE CLASSIQUE’
BURGUNDY 2020
 
Your Price: $38
 
 
“The Pascal Bouchard 2020 “Le Classic” Chablis opens with intense aromas of jasmine, chamomile, lemon, white peach, nectarine, cantaloupe, and a wet chalk minerality. The palate is complex with flavors of green apple, passion fruit, green guava, and apricot. This wine is bright and delightful, with a depth of flavors that envelops your taste buds with hedonistic pleasure.”
94 Points
2017 Raoul Gautherin Grand Cru Chablis Les Clos

2017 Raoul Gautherin Grand Cru Chablis Les Clos

with No Comment $80-$90BurgandyChablisChardonnayKevin VogtUSA

RAOUL GAUTHERIN

GRAND CRU CHABLIS
2017 LES CLOS

2017 Raoul Gautherin Grand Cru Chablis Les Clos
Chablis exemplifies the purest expression of Chardonnay through minimal intervention in the vineyard and winery, the use of natural yeasts, and the limited use of oak, prioritizing the delicate nuances of flavor. Adrien Gautherin of Domaine Raoul Gautherin vinifies his Grand Cru Chablis Les Clos in tanks and ages it in old barrels, creating a wine with incredible aging potential. 
 
Grand Cru vineyards in Chablis are grown in 160 million-year-old sedimentary limestone-rich clay, known as Kimmeridgian marl, famous for giving wines with vibrant character, racy acidity, and a zesty mineral component. These world-class Chardonnays begin showing their spectacular depth and charm after three to four years, which is where this one is right now, and with only 120 cases produced, don’t hesitate to secure yours.
 
RAOUL GAUTHERIN
GRAND CRU CHABLIS
2017 LES CLOS
Retails at: $100
 
Your Price: $89
 
 
“The 2017 Raoul Gautherin & Fils Grand Cru Chablis Les Clos has an exquisite nose with aromas of honeysuckle, white blossoms, green apples, white peaches, and brioche. The flavors on the palate are reminiscent of a butter pecan ice cream, coating the palate in a creamy mouthfeel but finishing on a crisp note with the wine’s natural acidity. This wine can be enjoyed now but will really shine after laying down in the cellar for a few more years.”
93 Points
2018 Domaine Guy Robin Chablis Vieilles Vignes

2018 Domaine Guy Robin Chablis Vieilles Vignes

with No Comment $30-$40BurgandyChablisFranceKevin Vogt

DOMAINE GUY ROBIN

2018 CHABLIS 
VIEILLES VIGNES

2018 Domaine Guy Robin Chablis Vieilles Vignes
Vieilles Vignes means old vines, and Guy Robin is one of my favorite producers of old vine Chablis. He began collecting old Chablis parcels back in the 60s, and few other Chablis estates have such a rich collection of older vines. As a result, few wineries can deliver Chablis wines of such character and complexity. At $33, his Chablis VV offers dynamic complexity, laser focus, and optimum balance.
 
Guy’s daughter Marie-Ange leads the Estate and shares her father’s passion for old vines. She creates their Vieilles Vignes Chablis from vines averaging four decades in age, and many of the neighboring plots are premier cru sites, sharing similar soils and climate. 
 
Guy Robin hand-harvests their Chardonnay grapes at the pinnacle of ripeness. He immediately presses them at the winery, where they’re held in a tank for 24 hours to settle naturally. The winery ferments in temperature-controlled, stainless steel tanks, and they also age in tanks to preserve the fruit’s most natural expression.
 
DOMAINE GUY ROBIN
2018 CHABLIS 
VIEILLES VIGNES
 
Your Price: $33
 
“Bright, citrusy aromas, with liquid minerals and white flowers, immediately grab you in the nose. On approach, the palate has an amazing richness, with concentrated, penetrating flavors including stone fruits, key lime, and an incredibly focused center palate. The finish is mesmerizing, with an amazing balance of richness and freshness. This is certainly one of my favorite Chablis, each vintage.” 94 Points
2017 Domaine Barat Vaillons Premier Cru Chablis

2017 Domaine Barat Chablis Premier Cru Vaillons

with No Comment $30-$40BurgandyChablisFranceKevin VogtUncategorized

DOMAINE BARAT 2017 Domaine Barat Vaillons Premier Cru Chablis

PREMIER CRU CHABLIS
2017 VAILLONS

 
While there’s never a bad time for a glass of White Burgundy, I begin to crave Chablis even more as the weather warms up.  A classically styled Chablis is clean and linear with bright citrus fruits, minerals, refreshing acidity and little to no buttery or oaky characteristics.  One of my favorites is Domaine Barat’s Chablis Premier Cru Vaillons.  The Estate dates back to 1795, and has a reputation for producing some of the most compelling, absolutely brilliant Chablis, and fortunately for us, they do so at a wonderfully realistic price. The only problem is with the minuscule number of cases imported into the US, there’s simply never enough of this wonderful White Burgundy to satisfy demand.
 
Chablis suffered greatly from frost in 2017 which resulted in lower grape yields, however those that survived were of extraordinary quality.  Domaine Barat’s 2017 Premier Cru Vaillons was carved from half-century old Chardonnay vines, grown in soils rich in clay and limestone and the wine is stunningly brilliant.  I strongly recommend securing your case, before it’s too late.
 
DOMAINE BARAT
PREMIER CRU CHABLIS
2017 VAILLONS
 
Your Price: $33/btl

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Tasting Notes: “This flashy Chablis is linear and focused with penetrating flavors that cut a swath across your tongue.  The palate has beautiful key lime tart, ripe peach and dried apricot flavors.  It has beautiful complexity with a flinty minerality and hints of crushed oyster shells.  The brilliant acidity carries the balanced flavors through a very long, concentrated finish.”
 
Customers that enjoy Domaine Barat Chablis may also enjoy these two terrific White Burgundies…
2017 Domain La Croix Sancerre Domain Du Grand Pre Macon-Lugny Les Charmes White Burgandy
DOMAINE LA CROIX
SAINT-LAURENT
2018 SANCERRE
 
Your Price: $29.99/btl

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Importer’s Tasting Notes: “Great nose, very expressive, stones and flowers. Explosive right from the start, bright, fresh, energetic, structured, focused, with great flavors of orange citrus, green citrus and green melon. Wonderful tension and balance, beautiful mouthfeel and a long, complex, deliciously clean finish.”
DOMAINE du GRAND PRE
2017 MÂCON-LUGNY
LES CHARMES
 
Your Price: $29.99/btl

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Winery Notes: “Great nose of minerals and white flowers. Nice richness, balance, acidity and structure in the mouth, with flavors of honeydew, pear, spice and a cleansing salinity on the finish. A harmonious, vibrant wine. ‘Les Charmes’, an 11 hectare vineyard with vines averaging 35 years of age, is located in the prime growing area of Mâcon on clay and limestone soils on east facing slopes, farmed organically…
50 cases imported.“