The whole premise behind the French wine appellation system (AOC), which became the model for the rest of Old World Europe (and beyond), is that the ‘place’ is the ‘brand.’ This is doubly true for those extra-special places deemed Premier or Grand Cru. Seeing such distinctions on a label doesn’t guarantee you a great wine, but it dramatically betters the odds—especially if the Grand Cru in question is “Les Clos” in Chablis.
This perfectly positioned site—the centerpiece of the Chablis growing zone—is one of the surest bets in wine, but it doesn’t hurt that its steward, in the case of this wine, is the venerable Domaine Guy Robin. Blessed not only with a choice piece of Les Clos but with exceptionally old, ‘heirloom’ vines on the site, Guy Robin delivered this powerful, seemingly bottomless expression in 2012. For me, this is the Platonic ideal of Burgundy Chardonnay, at once creamy and deeply fruited yet racy and mineral-driven at the same time. Few wines—few Burgundies, even—achieve this precision balance. It’s the kind of wine that turns people into Burgundy fanatics, of which there are more than a few among our subscribers already. Grab this one up while you can; we can offer 6 bottles per fanatic until it sells out. It is rare to find Le Clos at such a low price; don’t let this opportunity pass you by.
You may have noticed that Chablis is among the most sommelier-beloved wines in the world right now (a quick spin around Instagram also confirms the hipness of cru Beaujolais; Nebbiolo-based reds from northern Piedmont; and grower Champagnes, among others). The reason for Chablis’ hotness is pretty straightforward: it’s still affordable! This 2012 from Guy Robin is Grand Cru wine with bottle age for $65! Even a modestly compensated young juice-slinger can afford that, and that’s why we recommend so many—if Chablis keeps over-delivering, we’ll keep offering it.
Les Clos, as many of you know, is the largest and best-known of the seven Grand Crus of Chablis, a 27-hectare parcel on a perfectly pitched, south/southwest-facing slope. That westward tilt exposes vines to afternoon (as well as midday) sun, ensuring optimal ripening of grapes in this still-cool climate. Les Clos consistently delivers the boldest, most generous examples of Chablis Grand Cru, as exemplified by this old-vine bottling from Domaine Guy Robin. When you consider the ‘competitive set’ of wines from Les Clos, this wine is an absolute steal.
The Robin family has deep roots in Chablis, literally and figuratively. Namesake Guy Robin assembled most of the family’s holdings back in the 1960s, and these included significant stands of ‘pre-phylloxera’ vines—i.e., vineyards that were not destroyed during the phylloxera epidemic of the late-1800s. Although the phylloxera ‘louse’—an aphid that destroys the roots of vines—devastated the European wine industry (forcing vignerons to graft vines onto phylloxera-resistant American rootstocks), it didn’t get everybody. Some pockets of Europe were spared, especially spots with sandy and/or volcanic soil, but not exclusively: a good 80% of Robin’s modern-day vines are on their “own,” pre-phylloxera rootstock. Guy Robin never re-planted them (as so many Chablisienne did) to higher-yielding clones.
Despite this incredible patrimony, however, the Guy Robin wines had fallen into mediocrity; one of their US importers dropped them for a time, but the arrival of fourth-generation Marie-Ange Robin in the early 2000s was a huge shot in the arm. A successful fine art dealer in Paris, she returned home to the family estate and began tending their historic vines more naturally, using the lutte raisonnée method (essentially organic, except in emergencies). Some of the Robin holdings, which span five Grand Crus and four Premier Crus, are 80+ years old.
Marie-Ange’s 2012 Les Clos is sourced from vines planted by her family in the 1960s on the pure Kimmeridgian limestone of the slope. It was fermented with only indigenous yeasts in oak barrels, of which 10% were new, and aged for just under a year in the same mix of barrels. In the glass it is a deepening yellow-gold (indicating its bottle age), and its aromatics are an inviting mix of yellow apple, white peach, salted meyer lemon, lime blossoms, fresh cream, white mushroom, and crushed stones. For me this is quintessential Les Clos, which has many years ahead of it. If drinking now, decant it for at least 2 hours and allow it to come up to cellar temperature before serving in Burgundy stems. This will showcase its aromatics and allow the palate to broaden. It will make a perfect partner for some pan-fried seafood of the type in the attached recipe. It will also continue to deliver the goods for many years to come; if you’re able, set a few of these aside in your cellar and re-visit them in 5-7 years. You will look back with smug satisfaction at how little you paid for such a memorable, blue-chip collectible. Cheers!
