The bold and beautiful 2015 vintage of today’s wine was a tough act to follow, but the Boudin family at Domaine de Chantemerle showed no letdown in 2016: their new release from the “Fourchaume” Premier Cru in Chablis is every inch the delicious wine—and incredible value—the ’15 was, with a similarly rich texture and accessibility in its youth.
Of course, as we noted in a previous offer, this is still Chablis we’re talking about, meaning there’s still plenty of minerality and bright acidity to ensure a long life ahead for this wine, which is what you should expect from a vineyard many experts think rivals the Grand Crus. “Fourchaume,” on the eastern bank of the Serein River just downstream from Chablis’ tight cluster of Grand Crus, always delivers wines of breadth and power, but rarely (if ever) at this price; it took but one taste for us to lock down every bottle we could. If you are a white Burgundy drinker, this is a no-brainer bargain you can pop open tonight or lay down for 5-7 years to come. It’s been a little while since we’ve had an over-achieving Chablis like this on the site, so I expect it will find a big and enthusiastic audience.
Given its aspect and positioning just a stone’s throw from the Chablis grands crus, the Fourchaume Premier Cru often delivers wines approaching Grand Cru breadth and intensity, and in ’16 (as in ’15) this wine has plenty of both. In the glass it’s a deep straw-gold with light green reflections at the rim, with a rich and fruit-driven nose of yellow apple, salted lemon, acacia flower, raw hazelnut, bread dough, fresh cream, and of course the crushed rock/oyster shell savor typical of great Chablis. It is a deep and well-rounded style, but there is also enough freshness to age this wine for 5-7 years or more. If you’re enjoying it now, decant it about 30 minutes before serving in Burgundy stems. I personally don’t like to drink Chablis at ‘refrigerator’ temperature but rather closer to ‘cellar’ temperature—at around 55 degrees you will experience a broader range of aromas and a richer texture on the palate. A lemony roasted chicken would be fantastic next to this white, which, like the attached recipe, is a “no fail” choice. Enjoy!