Chablis 2018

The monopole of Long Depaquit in the heart of the Grands Crus, this is the most Côte de Beaune-like Chablis we know. Silky, explosive, with tons of minerality, it remains a benchmark.

Always incredibly fast to sell, this is a brilliant Clos from Long Depaquit. Focussed, saline, and very textured, there’s crushed rocks and lemon oil here. A great buy.

This is very reserved and reticent at the moment, with so much minerality and focus. Powerful, this is a wine that will need time to come around. When it does, it will be one for the ages.

Sunny and open, there are floral notes and plenty of intense citrus fruit. This is finessed, charming, and impressively long.

The morning sun defines this Grand Cru, which is delicate and finessed, with notes of apple blossom, sea spray, and freshly cut ginger. So pretty and saline, it’s one that you won’t be able to put down.

One of the best village Chablis out there, this has plenty of tension and drive, but with a beautifully ripe core of grapefruit and fresh oranges. Lovely texture on the long finish. Blind, you'd call this Premier Cru.

A delicious Petit Chablis from Samuel, from vines on the top of the Grand Cru hillside, that punch above their weight. Notes of apple blossom and sea spray, with a fine, long, and complex finish.

Notes of wild flowers and crushed rocks on the nose of this delicate, soaring Grand Cru. Notes of iodine and orange blossom on the palate complete the picture. This will be approachable much earlier than some.

Montee de Tonnerre is usually considered the closest premier cru to the grands crus, and with showings like this, we can see why. Elegant and refined, yet with stunning depth, there's really remarkable precision here. This is rippling with energy - in five years, it will blow you away.

Rich yet focussed, this is a masterpiece from Samuel. Notes of ripe citrus, with blood orange and grapefruit, and also a real floral character. The palate is silky and full, with tons of energy on the finish. Bravo.

Intense and pure, with notes of wild, herbal honey, and also a generosity of fruit. There's salinity here alongside breadth of fruit, which gets you salivating. A brilliant premier cru.

Very floral, elderflower, but also richness of fruit, plenty of amplitude, but comes back together from this richness and mouth filling fruit with precision and finesse. An interesting balance.

More than half of the four hectare plot was planted in 1947/1948 by William’s dad. So much freshness and minerality, also volume in the mouth with understated fruit; pears and peaches, and also elderflower and crushed shells, and sea spray and hints of fresh ginger, even, and a touch of gunflint. So impressive and integrated - the complexity blows you away.

From two hectares on this very steep plot. Very mineral nose, plenty of power and fine citrus fruit - also red apples and lots of white peach. So much depth here, intense and powerful but so much minerality. So complex, with that fruit and savoriness all interlinking. Intense and long. Nicely made, this will be brilliant.

The Montmains is aged in oak (none new), and in 2018 it wears its élevage incredibly lightly. A generous apple scent on the nose is followed by a crystalline length on the palate, where citrus pulp and chalky salinity entwine. It is the most forward of Jean-Claude’s premiers crus, and always a transparent window on to the vintage. It should drink well from early on, with its intricate balance between ample fruit and agile freshness. It finishes with a mouthwatering savoury freshness, making you want to go back for more.

With two hectares of vines in this grand cru, it’s no wonder Jean-Claude and Romain’s iteration is one of the best you can find. The oldest vines here were planted in 1947, and their concentration and persistence is seamlessly integrated with the 10% new oak. The grand cru’s weight of ripe fruit is upfront, and the zipping thread of acidity that gives the wine its sinuous backbone are the mark of expert vignerons, who have captured the fine moment of balance in maturity. A stunning wine.