TN: 2018 Château de Béru Chablis Terroirs de Béru

I discovered this producer a year and some back; owners of great terroirs in Chablis with a decidedly natural bent - low sulfur use, no fining or filtering, and definitely on the up-and-up amongst culty wine folks. This is their entry-level cuvée, a blend of multiple plots but still made in a non-interventionist style.

The aromas fairly leap out of the glass; a lot of that lemongrass, lees-y wildness to the nose, but it’s underpinned by a nice stoniness, white flowers, and a dollop of lemon curd. There is a generosity of texture and mouthfeel but despite the hot year, there’s definitely a racy spine of mineral acidity that runs through the wine. Herbal. A touch of heat on the finish that seems a bit at odds with the rest of the wine - the label indicates 14.5% ABV. This is a natural wine lover’s Chablis, to be sure, and I think most classicists will likely find other options more appealing, but I still enjoy the iconoclastic approach.

even in the realm of natural wines i was never particularly impressed with these wines. in fact i have enjoyed the irancy far more than the whites, which taste very little like chablis.

I agree that they are very much not in alignment with what people would consider Chablis typicity. Still, I think they’re tasty and something off the beaten path.