Chablis is Queen.
If you ask her, Shell will tell you she does not drink white wine. There are exceptions, aged Alsace Riesling, aged Hunter Valley Semillon, and her favourite, Chablis. And then there are exceptions to the exception. The occasional aged Clare Riesling one or two Margaret River Chardonnay’s and a one-off Grüner Veltliner outlier.
Chablis is her favourite. The purest expression of Chardonnay unique to the region. No oak, minimal lees contact. Linear fruit and that impressive minerality that Chablis delivers so consistently. As someone who is not a fan of oak on whites, I find it hard to argue with her choices.
2010 was a challenging vintage for Chablis despite producing some of the greatest wines of the decade. Demanding might be a better descriptor. Those winemakers and vignerons who were proactive were able to manage the fluctuating weather, frequent showers and very hot days, to make the most of what was overall good conditions.
Pale straw. Surprisingly youthful for a ten-year-old wine. The nose is also youthful. Lemon and lemon blossom dominate the nose. The wine has some development, there is honey coming forward. The wine spent time in old oak and some time on lees, but it is not evident on those. The oyster shell sits brightly in the background rounding out a great nose. On the palate, medium acid and surprisingly youthful. Citrus and a steely, honey sweetness. A long saline finish.
Premier Cru Chablis looking great after a decade.
90 pts.
Drink now – 2025.
