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Chablis (375mL Half-Bottle) Domaine Sébastien Christophe 2023 DE
Tasting Notes: Once again, use a good large glass. And not too, too cold, please. This limpid, green-gold Chardonnay from the fossil-rich Kimmeridgian limestone of the hills above Chablis is Bur... gundy, after all, and another textbook example of how a fine wine’s engaging vitality becomes more and more compelling for some time after it’s poured. Aromas of white flowers, wet gravel, salt hay, and fresh-picked Granny Smith apples move in and out of the foreground, sometimes alternating with more fleeting suggestions of pineapple core, wild spearmint, and grapefruit pith, as the nose evolves in the glass. On the palate, the minerality is explicit, with oyster shell brininess and flavors that echo the nose, including fresh tarragon, chervil, and almonds toasted in butter, all tailored and sharpened and narrowed, with a rare combination of high energy, vibrancy and persistence. Read More
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Sébastien Christophe represents a new generation of winegrowers in Chablis: hard-driving, well-grounded in tradition—yet thoroughly familiar with modern winegrowing practices—and aware of the advantages and challenges that climate change has presented to this part of Burgundy. Beginning in 1998 with just 0.6 hectares of Petit Chablis at the top of the hill above the Grands Crus, today Sébastien is responsible for more than thirty hectares of vines in the appellations Petit Chablis, Chablis AOC, three Chablis Premiers Crus, including Fourchaume, Mont du Milieu, and Montée de Tonnerre, as well as the Grand Cru Blanchot, where he farms the vines in lutte raisonée. At his tiny winery outside the hamlet of Fyé, on the right bank of the Serein opposite the town of Chablis, he produces about 70,000 bottles annually of some of the most exciting wines in the region, all fermented on the natural yeast in stainless steel tanks, with only about 10% of the wine matured in neutral, used oak barrels.
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Viticulture in Burgundy was well established by the second century AD, and likely predates the arrival of the Romans. By the late Middle Ages, the influence of the monastic orders had organized wine growing in Burgundy as nowhere else in Europe. It was the monks who recognized that certain individual vineyards consistently produced distinctive wine. Land reform came with the French Revolution, and the Code Napoléon abolished primogeniture, establishing that all inherited property be shared equally among siblings. As a result, the ownership of many of the finest vineyards is fragmented, with some growers owning just a few vines in many different vineyard sites. Chablis, a small medieval village, is at the northwestern end of Burgundy, closer to Champagne than the Côte d'Or. The soils contain a high amount of limestone, giving the wines (produced from Chardonnay) a distinct mineral character.
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Chardonnay is a white grape variety that originated in Burgundy, and today is grown in many countries around the world for the production of still wines, as well as sparkling wines. The Chardonnay vine grows vigorously, and is planted in both cool and warm climatic conditions. More so than other varieties, the flavor profile of the Chardonnay grape reflects the terroir of where it is grown. Also, oak barrel fermentation and aging techniques are sometimes used with Chardonnay, which can affect the flavor and texture of the wine. Therefore, the style of Chardonnay wines can range from neutral, crisp, and acidic to rich, round, and buttery.
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Soft-ripened cow’s milk cheeses, mustard roasted white fish, chicken with tarragon, egg-based dishes, butter-based sauces, roasted root vegetables with fresh herbs.Traditional dishes of the Region:Gougeres, Escargot, roasted Bresse chicken, parsleyed ham.