La Chablisienne Chablis Vaulorents 1er Cru 2009, Premieur Cru Chablis
Classic ‘Chablis’ nose from the first stroke nose on iodized, anise, citrus, honey and a touch praline and fresh butter in a fairly specific set. The tense and vigorous palate gives a lot of air and fat. Dense, filled with tension and lots of dry extracts, it is quite large, tasty, mouth-watering but still marked by its aging especially on the long, leezy finish with lingering tones of seashells, iodine and kerosene. It is already good but can wait.
2009 is a great vintage with a very good grape maturity. It is warmer has less problems with botrytis (the north wind, a good treatment against botrytis, also helped). So the wine has good freshness and with richness and acidity in balance. The ripeness almost approached that of a Grand Cru.
La Chablisienne alone represents nearly 25% and produces every one of the Chablis appellations. The winery groups nearly 300 winegrowers to produce the great white wines of Chablis. People always say big co-operatives like La Chablisienne is not comparable at all to the detailed and crafted Chablis from smaller makers in the region. In our view this is not true. The wine is very well made. The large scale of La Chablisienne operation has driven cost down and is in no way comparable to smaller estates.
On Kimmeridgian soil, the vineyard has a Kimmeridgian soil (Right Bank of the river, so lots of tension augmented by acidities), North of the Grand Cru areas of Preuses and Bougros (so Cru level of fine, chalky feel). Harvest is done by hand in part. Average age of the vines is 30 years. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in small barrels and vats. Alcohol content is 12.5%. Some 15 months on fine lees, in tanks and small barrels may have made the wine a bit too leezy and traditional.
Team thinks this wine noses and tastes classy and cru. An excellent seafood matcher. BH92.
