Chablis, Mâcon & Côte Chalonnaise

Benoît’s village Chablis is one of the best (the best?) out there, and is always a fast seller. It has a strong following of fans who return to it year after year for its great value and high quality. It’s packed with fruit, and has an energy and persistence that propels it across the palate. There’s a nice chalky freshness and zingy lift.

Hard to put down. At first it is pretty, floral and inviting on the nose. The palate abounds with densely packed stone fruit flavours, cut through by a fresh, taut line of acidity, showing wonderful tension. It comes from three neighbouring parcels near the cellar, from vines with an average age of 45 years. The additional clay in the soil here gives added depth and length to this cuvée.

This parcel of young vines (around 15 years old) lies right next to Marcel’s house. He says it’s a wine to open and enjoy young. Given what good value it is you certainly can get stuck in. It has a bright and fruity character, with the vintage’s wonderful natural freshness.

This comes from three neighbouring parcels near the cellar, from vines with an average age of 45 years. The additional clay in the soil here gives added depth to this cuvée, as well as more longevity. This is such an enjoyable wine: it has ripeness and personality in spades, with a razor-sharp line of acidity slicing through to a long finish.

This comes from their youngest vineyard (average age of around 15 years) right next to Marcel’s house. He says this is best opened and enjoyed while it is young. This is a vibrant, fresh and energetic cuvee with plenty of juicy peach and citrus aromas and flavours on display. If you are looking for value for money you simply cannot beat this!

This cuvée was new to us in 2021, although Samuel has been making it since 2016. It sees Samuel with his négociant hat on, sourcing some excellent grapes from Mâcon and making a citrus fresh and zingy Chardonnay.

This comes from three parcels, which are spread across the top, middle, and bottom sections of the premier cru. It is straight and incisive, with a concentrated, saline flicker on the finish. There’s a nice balance between fruit and minerality in this premier cru.

William Fèvre owns half of the Bougros lieu-dit, so it’s no wonder theirs is the best example you will find. Its clay soils make a flattering, comparatively early-drinking grand cru, which will show well from early on. The nose is brimming with the scent of freshly cut grass and the palate has an open, peachy texture. Every year we remark what good value this is, and 2022 is no different.

Vaulorent is technically part of Fourchaume, the largest premier cru in Chablis, and is the only premier cru to share the same slope as the grand cru. It has very chalky soil and produces a wine of power and silky tension. The 2022 has a delicious nutty reduction, leading to a palate with a powerful drive. It is a highlight in an already stellar line-up.

William’s father planted some of these vines in 1948. Since then, the domaine has expanded its holdings, and it is now the largest owner of Chablis’ greatest site with over four hectares. Lots of their vines are at the top of the hill, in a cool site, where the best soils are found. The wine is saturated in white peach, oyster brine, and limestone minerality. It is statuesque yet understated. This is truly grand cru in every sense.

Beauroy is located within Troesmes, and the Fevre parcel is home to old vines, all around 55 to 60 years old. It shows mineral structure and fruit density, but its overall frame is lighter on its feet than some others in the lineup, and it will be one of the more forward drinking of the premiers crus.

Vaulorent is technically part of Fourchaume, the largest premier cru in Chablis, and is the only premier cru to share the same slope as the grand cru. It has very chalky soil and produces a wine of power and silky tension. The 2021 is so velvety and enticing, you almost don’t feel the power of the wine underneath the texture. Concentrated peach, apricot and a wonderful fresh grapefruit pithiness transcends, with a finish that is complex, long, saline and very fine - super!

This 2-hectare plot lies in the north of the region, and typically produces a wine with gentler acidity than the domaine’s others. Nevertheless, it is always one of the most balanced, and one of the freshest feeling. This freshness is derived from the minerality of fruit, grown on the marl soils of Uchizy. It wraps around the perfumed fruit and makes for an impeccably balanced wine.

Many parcels are blended into this brilliant wine, all from the Viré side of the appellation. The old vines thrive in the village’s clay-rich topsoil over limestone subsoil. The wines from this side of the appellation tend to be straighter and tighter than the more generous and rounded Clessé side. It’s a wonderfully restrained wine, showing its class in its long, precise finish.

This is the village where the Lafons’ cellar is located. This is the cuvée that most encapsulates what the Lafons are trying - and succeeding - at doing in Mâcon. It’s the calling-card of the domaine, and the wine is always fruity, juicy, and bright. The 2022 has a good volume on the palate, thanks to the concentration of the fruit which comes from these high-altitude parcels.

Chardonnay here refers to the village, rather than the variety. Clos de la Crochette is a charming walled vineyard that Dominique bought in 2003. After a little investigation he discovered it is one of the most historic sites in all of Burgundy, first planted by the monks of Cluny (c.900 AD). This has beautiful tension and energy, it comes as little surprise this spot has been a favourite for winegrowers through the centuries.

The Lafons own two hectares in Saint-Véran. It’s one of their more recent purchases, Dominique having picked up two parcels in 2014 and 2016. The blend of the two sites makes a powerful and compelling example of the appellation, with some waxy yellow fruit notes on the nose and a deliciously textured palate cut through by a lemon-scented edge. It balances richness with freshness in style.

This comes from vines that lie near Saint-Véran, which tend to ripen early. The wine is perfumed and charming with notes of white blossom and crisp apple, with a creamy, satisfying palate. It’s uncomplicated but delightful, and a great window onto what the Lafons are getting up to in southern Burgundy. Great value, too.

This is the pinnacle of the Lafon wines in the Mâconnais, or as Dominique used to put it, the ‘Porusots’ of the Mâcon domaine. That is to say, it is crystalline and pure, with a power, presence and precision you might expect from a much grander appellation in the Côte d'Or.