Lucky to find this tasting opportunity at Gordon’s wines. just outside of Boston. The importer and distributor Ideal Wines had the Gueguens in for a commented tasting of their wines. Well organized, sit-down tasting with a small “plate” of charcuterie, cheese and fruit for each of us. Impressive and very approachable range of wines, mostly from the 2023 vintage. I also managed to learn a bit more about Burgundy, where we hope to travel next May/June. And to top it off, Celine and Frederic were delightful.
The wines were presented in themed flights of three, which helped make sense of the wines of Chablis. The first three were non-Chablis designated and included a minerally direct-press Rose of Pinot Noir, a lively and tasty Aligote, and their solid Bourgogne Cotes Salines.
The next flight turned to Chablis designated wines: a Petit Chablis , their “basic” Chablis and a special village level named “La Vigne de 1975”, which is made using grapes from vines planted in 1975. Sort of a very specific “Vielles Vignes” and a wink and nudge to how loosely the term is sometimes applied. Very good all, and getting better and more complex as we moved down the row. Jacqueline and I thought their village level offerings were both excellent. The 1975 wine became a fun point of connection between us and the Gueguens. They were both born in 1975 and we were married in 1975. A very good year! Serendipity strikes again.
The final flight was 1er Cru - Vogros, Vaucoupin, Vaillons - which upped the complexity and enjoyment and also allowed Frederic to provide us with interesting geographical info on 1er Cru and Grand Cru. I loved all three of these wines, each with a delicate but complex balance of fruit, minerals, and energy. The 2023 Vaillons was my favorite. To finish the formal tasting we were poured a bonus wine, the 2023 Grand Cru Les Preuses. An “oh my” wine! A big step up! Young, but very enjoyable even at this stage.
At the end of the more formal tasting, all of us were invited to linger and have second pours of our favorites. (Ah, . . . if you are still pouring, I am lingering!!) Had some more of my new best friend wine, the Vaillons, which showed more fruit dimensions than the first glass. Even more delicious and almost approaching ponderable. We asked for another pour of the 1975 too, so Jacqueline and I could quietly toast ourselves. But when we found out the importer rep that poured it for us was also born in 1975, I proposed a toast to this very good year and to the connections the five of us had to this wine. Five raised glasses clinked the evening to a close for us.
Overall we enjoyed this tasting and these wines very much. Gordon’s promoted this tasting event as a “Chablis Masterclass” and delivered. I thought that all the wines from the most humble upward showed what I would call delicacy and finesse. Not light or thin in any way, but a restrained “strutting of stuff”. I recommend the whole range of wines that we tasted.
Chablis reminds me of Mozart.
I’ve been enjoying a nice bottle of the 2022 Famille Gueguen Celine & Frederic [Chablis] the last couple of nights, with some more left to go. I know little about the region and was heartened to find Jim’s recent tasting and overview of the next releases. The label states 12.5% abv and I found it light bodied with a palate of grapefruit/pomelo with a hint of quinine/citrus bitterness, even almonds. The length of finish is 30 seconds for me, and for my tastes it’s not chiseled/flinty but has some sun and plump to it. This is the output from older 40 year vineyards that were picked relatively early during the harvest, and overall, the village Chablis is a very likeable, suitable for those who might not normally appreciate this AOC. I’d slot it into the B+ zone.
My example was imported by Planet Wine, Inc. of Richmond and sealed under DIAM3
Hah, I was actually at this tasting too. The Vaillons really was a stunner - somehow deeply honeyed while also having the signature Chablis acid and flavor profile. I got a bottle of that and of the standard Chablis AOP.
I’m glad you liked the 1975, too - that was one of two (it and the Petit Chablis) that I really didn’t like out of the lineup. To my nose it had this really forward turnip aroma that turned me off, almost like the grapes had been underripe.
As always I’m pleased that my taste for whites tends towards the higher acid, because Chablis continues to be really incredible QPR if you like the style.