2020 Chablis

Unlike the 2019 that was shy and restrained when tasted from tank, this was bursting with expression. It has electric lime juice energy, with a transcendent purity. This is nervous, savoury, serious - and seriously delicious - classic Chablis.

Fourchaume has a little more flesh on its bones than the chiselled La Forêt. This is no surprise given Fourchaume is one of the warmer sites in Chablis, thanks to its southerly exposure. Yet it retains a punch of freshness with a complex saline acidity.

This old vine cuvée takes the prize for ‘hidden gem’ of our Chablis range. It comes from 40- to almost 70-year-old vines scattered across seven parcels, with a variety of soil structures and exposures. It is mineral, zingy, lime-fresh and intense, with great drive and depth. Plenty of dry extract gives the palate a serious weight even though this is, like the rest of the Bessin range, only carrying moderate alcohol. The fullness of the wine comes from the intensity of fruit, rather than its ripeness. This may be a wine of humble communal classification, but it has a profound character, and deserves special attention.

Bessin’s Valmur is arguably the best value grand cru in Burgundy. And in spite of its great value, the wine’s potential for ageing should not be underestimated. The 2020 is a densely-packed, green-apple scented, chalky, mineral, and incisive wine well deserving of its grand cru status. This should be magnificent after a decade in the cellar, if you can wait.