After tasting almost 200 Chablis 2020 en primeur samples, Andy Howard MW has given his full verdict on the new vintage.
Here we present a quick and easy way to see tasting notes and scores for the top 96 wines all with 92 points or above.
| Producer | Appellation | Vintage | Score | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domaine François Raveneau | Chablis (Les Clos Grand Cru) | 2020 | 98 | From 40-50-year-old vines, with a powerful and forceful nose displaying intriguing smoky notes. A wall of concentration on the palate, with vibrant orchard tree fruit, white flowers, great acidity, intense focus and a long, savoury, mineral aftertaste. Despite the power it’s not showy, but is terroir-driven with total purity and for the very long haul. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2040 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Long-Depaquit | Chablis (Moutonne Grand Cru Monopole) | 2020 | 97 | As hoped for, this is another fantastic example of the special qualities of Moutonne, with great intensity of pear and apple fruit, with a faint tropical edge. Despite the concentration the fruit is pure and the focused acidity keeps the palate fresh and wanting more. The oak is barely noticeable and the wine finishes with a chalky, dry note which adds even more to the appeal. Very, very classy. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2037. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine William Fèvre | Chablis (Les Clos Grand Cru) | 2020 | 97 | Fèvre's largest grand cru, with 4ha located higher up in Les Clos, meaning this is cooler climate and with much more chalk than Kimmeridgian. 50% of the vines were planted by William Fèvre's father in the 1940s. Perfect balance between precision, concentration, acidity and ripe fruits, with oak that’s not at all apparent. A fresh, glorious wine. Drinking Window: 2025 - 2040. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Billaud-Simon | Chablis (Les Preuses Grand Cru) | 2020 | 96 | Made from 70-year-old vines, a small part of the blend was matured in old casks, the rest in vats. This is powerful, complex, but also refined and understated. Crisp, vibrant acidity, subtle wood notes and a long, lingering, mineral finish. A touch of the iron fist in a velvet glove. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2032 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine François Raveneau | Chablis (1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre) | 2020 | 96 | One of Raveneau's jewels in the crown, this is a stunning Montée de Tonnerre. This has marked flinty and mineral aromas, whilst the palate is intense and concentrated. You can feel, taste and breathe the terroir here. A precise premier cru with wonderful purity and the structure to age more than a decade. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2030. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Vincent Dauvissat | Chablis (Les Clos Grand Cru) | 2020 | 96 | Dauvissat's Les Clos lives up to its grand cru billing with great power and concentration evident. Subtle orange-box notes on the palate, a hint of peach and apricot, matched with driving apple acidity and fresh salty, chalky notes. The purity and clarity of the wine is so impressive. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2037. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine William Fèvre | Chablis (1er Cru Vaulorent) | 2020 | 96 | With 3.65ha spread over eight plots, Fèvre is the largest owner in Vaulorent. Didier Seguier says marl soil gives the density, while Kimmeridgian supplies the minerality. Great complexity on both the nose and palate, this has the richness and structure of the grand cru. Absolutely no need to rush drinking this. Stunning. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2030. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine William Fèvre, Côte Bouguerots | Chablis (Bougros Grand Cru) | 2020 | 96 | Côte Bouguerots is a cooler site down by the Serein River, with precipitous slopes of 45 degrees. An intense grand cru, with concentration from very low yields (25hl/ha), this displays a distinct savoury edge. It’s a very fine, persistent wine, with a very long future ahead. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2037 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Billaud-Simon | Chablis (Les Clos Grand Cru) | 2020 | 95 | Currently showing a bit more oak, this has plenty of weight on the palate. A little more heft than this producer’s Les Preuses, but likely to be more popular. Impressive but, for me, not their top 2020. Sappy on the palate, casks were used here for fermentation and malolactic. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2032. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine François Raveneau | Chablis (1er Cru Butteaux) | 2020 | 95 | Butteaux is an older vineyard with an average age of around 45-50 years. Situated high on the hill, this is a cooler, windier site. It delivers a hint of pine tree and floral freshness on the nose. Very complex palate: savoury, saline, pristine and with a touch of orange-box from the oak. This has a marked, steely, cooler edge, which balances the generous volume in the mouth. It will undoubtedly last many years but is already disarmingly approachable. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2030. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine François Raveneau | Chablis (Blanchot Grand Cru) | 2020 | 95 | Very high on the slope, where the oldest vines are 85-90 years old. Plenty of density as expected for grand cru level. Savoury, with a touch of wood character coming through. Concentrated and saline to finish. Very classy; this will develop with ageing. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2032. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Vincent Dauvissat | Chablis (1er Cru Forêts) | 2020 | 95 | Intriguing nose of lime and lemon zest, a hint of honey, then mineral, salty characters on the palate. A magnificent premier cru, this has the acidity and structure to age many years but is very fine already. The overall impression here is of a Chablis with power, density and which compares to a grand cru. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2030. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Vincent Dauvissat | Chablis (1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre) | 2020 | 95 | Dauvissat’s small, 0.3ha Montée de Tonnerre parcel is in Côte de Bréchain. This is a cool, intense wine with the mineral character of Montée de Tonnerre coming through, with weight and density in great balance. A very elegant premier cru which finishes with a lovely salty note. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2030. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Vincent Dauvissat | Chablis (Les Preuses Grand Cru) | 2020 | 95 | From stony, pebbly soils, this is a precise, reserved Les Preuses which slowly builds on the palate, revealing a rich structure and increased mineral notes following a delicate start. A classic grand cru but keep it for several years before opening. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2037. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine William Fèvre | Chablis (1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre) | 2020 | 95 | Fèvre has three parcels in Montée de Tonnerre (its purest, most mineral premier cru): Chapelot, Pied d'Aloup and Côte de Bréchain, all facing different ways. Very precise, crystalline fruits, salinity, great acidity and a long, long finish. Will age beautifully, but great now. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2028. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine William Fèvre | Chablis (Les Preuses Grand Cru) | 2020 | 95 | From 1.5ha on soils that are high in clay content above Bougros, together with 1ha just above Bouguerots. Distinct precision here, not a blockbuster but intense and focused. Lovely crystalline fruit and will age beautifully. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2034. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Bernard Defaix | Chablis (Vaudésir Grand Cru) | 2020 | 94 | As a tank sample this is still very youthful, there is clearly a lot of potential here. Fresh acidity matches the beautifully ripe fruit characters on the palate, yet this is not at all over-blown, and the wine seems lighter on the palate than the 13.5% alcohol. Restrained wood is barely perceptible. Could move to 95 points once bottled. Classy. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2030. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Billaud-Simon | Chablis (1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre) | 2020 | 94 | Produced from three plots, one of which - Pied d'Aloup – is on average 84 years old. Intense nose, with a focused and pristine fruit character. Mineral with a touch of spice; an elegant wine with drive and precision. I suspect this will age very well and gain weight. No hurry to drink this. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2028. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Billaud-Simon | Chablis (Vaudésir Grand Cru) | 2020 | 94 | From three plots, two facing north, the other south. This is always a warm valley, and winemaker Olivier Bailly thinks Vaudésir and Blanchot are very similar. 100% matured in vats, with just the end of ageing done in wood to add a hint of spice. Ripe, generous, creamy but has a very good line of acidity as well. Quite warm, enticing, with an intriguing finish. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2030. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine des Malandes | Chablis (Vaudésir Grand Cru) | 2020 | 94 | Although still a little embryonic, there are promising signs, with the concentration on the palate allied to purity of fruit and more of a zesty lime and lemon character than peach. Very restrained oak and firm acidity bode very well for the future. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2030. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine François Raveneau | Chablis | 2020 | 94 | It's immediately apparent that there is much more density here than with the Raveneau Petit Chablis. Extra layers of concentration, with wonderful purity of fruit and the typical undertow of minerality. A fine thread of acidity focuses everything on the palate. A lovely Chablis clearly ahead of many others. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2024. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine François Raveneau | Chablis (1er Cru Les Montmains) | 2020 | 94 | Raveneau's Montmains lies on very different soils to Forêts (here, they are very thin with vines an average of 35 years old). Despite being a windy site, there is a little more tropicality, with hints of orange blossom and a crystalline palate. This finishes with a fine line of acidity and a pronounced, chalky, mineral finish. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2028 Click to see full details | |
| Domaine François Raveneau | Chablis (Valmur Grand Cru) | 2020 | 94 | Attractive, with hints of peach and flowers, coming from 45-year-old vines. Warm but not at all hot on the nose. Very fine line of acidity, plus an intriguing, pristine quality. Not a blockbuster; quite delicate and refined. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2034. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard | Chablis (1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre) | 2020 | 94 | As expected from the master, Jean-Marc Brocard, this is a very fine expression of Montée de Tonnerre which marries power and elegance in the same glass. Lovely purity on the nose with wildflowers and a hint of ripe peach. The palate is concentrated yet still very precise with citrus acidity and a long, lingering mineral finish. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2028. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Séguinot-Bordet | Chablis (1er Cru Fourchaume) | 2020 | 94 | The Séguinot’s roots in Maligny date back to 1590. This is a complete Fourchaume from Jean-François Bordet which balances the richness, concentration and intensity of Fourchaume with fresh acid, a lovely mineral undertow and complexity of flavour. Disarmingly drinkable already, this has the potential to age and become a memorable Fourchaume in three to four years. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2028. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Vincent Dauvissat | Chablis (1er Cru Séchet) | 2020 | 94 | Dauvissat's Séchet vines lie on deep soils, rich in seashells. Disarmingly drinkable already, this has a nicely integrated layer of subtle oak which adds further depth to the already concentrated palate. Could be enjoyed young but it would be best to allow this several years to fully blossom. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2028. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine William Fèvre | Chablis (Valmur Grand Cru) | 2020 | 94 | Didier Séguier of William Fèvre says there is a distinct line of Marne soil here, as in Butteaux and Vaulorent. Very precise, showing a touch of orange zest on the palate, all kept in check by vibrant acidity and minerality. A rounded, complete Valmur with a long, saline finish. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2030. Click to see full details | |
| Roland Lavantureux | Chablis (1er Cru Vaudevey) | 2020 | 94 | Roland founded the domaine in 1978, with sons Arnaud and David now running the business. Based in Lignerolles, the domaine now covers 21ha. Of this, 0.95ha is within Vau de Vey, consisting of vines averaging 35 years of age. A full, fleshy and dramatic Vau de Vey, with ripeness and generosity of fruit kept in check by the climat’s freshness. Maturation of 50% of the blend was in old oak which has added a touch of spiciness and extra intrigue to the palate. Very impressive. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2027. Click to see full details | |
| Samuel Billaud, Vieilles Vignes | Chablis (1er Cru Séchet) | 2020 | 94 | One of the special Samuel Billaud cuvées, the old vines really adding lots of extra density and concentration. Green apple on the palate, with a touch of red berry fruit as well. Powerful and complex, with great purity and a fine, mineral aftertaste. Will age very well. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2028. Click to see full details | |
| Charlène & Laurent Pinson | Chablis (1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre) | 2020 | 93 | A very classy, precise Montée de Tonnerre which has all the components needed to develop into a lovely drink with another year or two in bottle. From 40-year-old vines with 50% fermented in tank, the rest in older barrels using indigenous yeasts. This has a lovely suppleness about it, understated but full of energy and power at the same time. Very good concentration on the palate without being heavy, finishing with some great acidity. A real success. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2027. Click to see full details | |
| Daniel Dampt | Chablis (1er Cru Fourchaume) | 2020 | 93 | Full-bodied, dramatic Fourchaume, with weight and density derived from sun-drenched fruit all balanced by fine, crisp apple acidity. Generous and fleshy, this is not at all clumsy but retains great freshness on the palate, leaving one wanting another glass. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2027. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Bernard Defaix | Chablis (Bougros Grand Cru) | 2020 | 93 | Dominated by wood on the nose, the palate is very fresh, elegant and focused. There is plenty of concentration here from the gentler slopes of Bougros. Restraint, purity of fruit and a thoroughbred quality on show. A classy grand cru which will be delightful drinking in 18-24 months. Tank sample. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2030. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Billaud-Simon | Chablis (1er Cru Mont de Milieu) | 2020 | 93 | Very elegant, cool and driven on both nose and palate. Fine citrus acidity, a thoroughbred with finesse and focus. Lots of potential. Produced from four parcels of varying ages (on average 40 years) ranging from the top of the hill to the bottom. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2028. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Billaud-Simon | Chablis (1er Cru Vaillons) | 2020 | 93 | From a selection of parcels in Sécher, Chatains, Roncières and Mélinots. Harvested separately and fermented before blending. Bright, very zippy, lemon acidity, crisp, floral, and with nice weight. 50% oak but very subtle, with winemaker Olivier Bailly using 600-litre casks of at least five years’ age for the maturation of Sécher. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2027. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Billaud-Simon | Chablis (Blanchot Grand Cru) | 2020 | 93 | Billaud-Simon have just over 7ha, with only two steel barrels produced (700 bottles). Additional richness and concentration here. Sunny, very ripe fruit but not at all heavy, with the oak beautifully integrated, then a mineral, chalky finish. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2030. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Billaud-Simon | Chablis (Valmur Grand Cru) | 2020 | 93 | Made from purchased grapes, this is an elegant Valmur, with the wood a bit more obvious at the moment. Good concentration, fresh acidity and a touch of grip. A bit more stone fruit in character, with plenty of ageing potential. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2030. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Céline & Frédéric Gueguen | Chablis | 2020 | 93 | A relatively recent estate, Céline's father is Jean-Marc Brocard, whilst Frédéric worked at Domaine Durup. They continue to make great strides with their Chablis. This is a lovely example with concentration on the palate and extra layers of flavour compared to many. Despite the power and ripeness of fruit, the wine is kept in perfect balance by crisp acidity and a fine, mineral finish. Great stuff. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2025. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Céline & Frédéric Gueguen | Chablis (1er Cru Vosgros) | 2020 | 93 | An unusual left-bank premier cru in that, despite facing south/southwest, Vosgros is generally a slower maturing climat. This is largely down to the limestone-rich soils, giving the wine a certain edginess when young. There is plenty of energy here, with pure, stone fruit flavours, a hint of some exotic fruits on the nose, yet all of this is balanced by very precise acidity and a mineral finish. Very complex and classy. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2027. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de la Mandelière | Chablis (1er Cru Mont de Milieu) | 2020 | 93 | Mont de Milieu encompasses 44ha of sun-drenched slopes which give the wine additional power, while retaining freshness from the limestone soils. This is a fine Mont de Milieu which delivers as expected - powerful, rich and vibrant yet with a strong core of acidity and structure. A premier cru destined to age very well. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2028. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine des Malandes | Chablis (1er Cru Les Montmains) | 2020 | 93 | The domaine was created in 1949 by André Tremblay, before passing in 1972 to daughter Lyne Marchive. Since 2018 the 29ha estate has been run by Richard Rottiers and Amandine Marchive. A fine Montmains with some light oak notes evident on the nose and palate, combined with succulent peach fruit, citrus acidity, a hint of lime zest on the finish and matching acidity. A complex, weighty, but very balanced and complete premier cru. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2028. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine François Raveneau | Chablis (1er Cru Forêts) | 2020 | 93 | Raveneau's Forêts vines are situated at the bottom of the slope, lying on deeper soils. An elegant, rather than demonstrative premier cru, this Forêts is not the densest of their premier cru, but shows pure citrus fruits on the palate, very restrained wood with some cedar and spice evident, and a lovely focus on the finish. Isabelle Raveneau feels this will blossom with time in bottle and I believe her. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2028. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine François Raveneau | Chablis (1er Cru Vaillons) | 2020 | 93 | Raveneau's Vaillon is planted on very steep slopes. Although the climat is often characterised by direct exposure to the sun, their vines are situated in a small vale which enables the vines to retain additional freshness. White flowers are apparent on the nose and although this Vaillons has a sunnier edge, this is matched by the acidity. Surprisingly delicate but with long-term ageing potential. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2029. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Gérard Tremblay | Chablis (1er Cru Les Montmains) | 2020 | 93 | Gérard Tremblay is the fifth generation at this family domaine and is assisted by his wife Hélène. A generous Montmains which balances pure, ripe fruit notes on the nose and palate, with firm acidity and the concentration for extended ageing. Vines with an average age of 40 years old, 30% of the wine has been aged in older wood, adding to the complexity. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2028. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard, Sainte Claire | Chablis | 2020 | 93 | Some of the vines here are over 70 years old. Even with a reticent, understated nose one can sense the energy and precision in this wine. There’s a lovely, creamy texture on the palate, with bright citrus notes and a long, lingering, savoury, mineral finish. A very fine example of Chablis which would compete very effectively against many a premier cru. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2025. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Laurent et Céline Notton | Chablis (1er Cru Vaugiraut) | 2020 | 93 | Céline and Laurent Notton's Vaugiraut is produced from vines planted in 1935, and it has the aromatic intensity which this left-bank climat is renowned for. Pronounced mineral characters on the palate add to a hint of orange zest, with plenty of acidity giving lots of freshness and vitality to the wine. Drinking well already, this has a fine future ahead. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2028. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Long-Depaquit | Chablis (1er Cru Les Vaucoupins) | 2020 | 93 | Showing a steely edge to balance the slightly exotic, stone fruit characters on the nose, this is another classy Chablis from Long-Depaquit. A Premier Cru Chablis with plenty of concentration on the palate and a sunny character, yet framed by citrus acidity and a lingering mineral, saline finish. This has the power to age very well. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2027. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Séguinot-Bordet, Vieilles Vignes | Chablis | 2020 | 93 | Cool, restrained, Chablis which needs time to unfurl in the glass. There is a great deal of fruit purity on show though, combined with subtle ripeness of stone and orchard fruits, lovely acidity and an energy on the palate which makes one want to drink another glass. One of Jean-François Bordet's best. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2025. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Vincent Dauvissat | Chablis | 2020 | 93 | A fine Chablis which manages to be both powerful and concentrated, yet still retains a lovely lift. Plenty of acidity and distinctive mineral flavours on the palate, along with some spiced, confit lemon character to finish. Will age well. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2026. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Vincent Dauvissat | Chablis (1er Cru Vaillons) | 2020 | 93 | From plots in Beugnons and Chatains, the oak is toasty on the nose, with a touch of orange-box evident alongside intriguing spice notes. Weighty on the palate, plush, this has a fair amount of puppy fat which it will shed with ageing in bottle. Plenty of acidity to keep everything in check. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2027. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine William Fèvre | Chablis | 2020 | 93 | Domaine wine with 50-year-old vines from a number of vineyards, including north-facing plots underneath Les Lys, north west facing opposite Vaillons and south facing around Troesmes, plus some mineral soils from around Chichée. Intense and driven, you can smell the Kimmeridgian. Great energy and focus. Spice on the finish, precise acidity. Will age for many years. Bottled just before the 2021 harvest. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2026. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine William Fèvre | Chablis (1er Cru Les Lys) | 2020 | 93 | Very cool north-facing site, which is a sub-section of Vaillons and home to 50-60-year-old vines producing small, very concentrated berries. Intense and fruit-driven but has lovely freshness to support the density on the palate. Persistent, mineral, with touch of orange spice on the aftertaste. Very impressive already. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2028. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine William Fèvre | Chablis (1er Cru Les Montmains) | 2020 | 93 | A wine from a selection of sites over 3.9ha in Butteaux, Forêts and Montmains. Butteaux is very cold and mineral, while Forêts is elegant and floral. Great precision and focus here, allied with crystalline citrus fruits on the palate. Shows density, but is also very fresh, with lovely mineral characters on the finish. A highly successful Montmains. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2027. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine William Fèvre | Chablis (Bougros Grand Cru) | 2020 | 93 | From 4ha of vineyards, this is an easy introduction to the Bougros Grand Cru. Acidity is well in check and the wine is generous, with 25% older wood used for maturation. Very nice weight and purity, minerality and an extra layer of richness compared to the premier cru. Higher yields here than Fèvre’s other grands crus, except Les Clos. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2030. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine William Fèvre | Chablis (Vaudésir Grand Cru) | 2020 | 93 | Lovely intensity, drive, citrus zestiness and energy here. Concentrated and very elegant wine, with a great future ahead. Fine minerality to finish. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2030. Click to see full details | |
| Le Domaine D'Henri, Saint Pierre | Chablis | 2020 | 93 | This domaine was created when Michel Laroche sold his interests in Domaine Laroche in 2010 and is named in honour of his father. This Chablis is named after the 12th century church of Saint Pierre. Lovely floral aromas here, with a touch of orange blossom on the nose. Weighty palate, with purity of pear and stone fruit flavours, before a salty, flinty finish. Great balance and concentration to encourage further ageing in bottle. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2025. Click to see full details | |
| Samuel Billaud | Chablis (1er Cru Mont de Milieu) | 2020 | 93 | Most of the cuvée is produced from Samuel's own vines and 20% is matured in demi-muid of 450-600 litres. Lime and orange zest notes on the palate; a premier cru with very good concentration. Due to be bottled in January 2022. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2027. Click to see full details | |
| Samuel Billaud | Chablis (1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre) | 2020 | 93 | Typical Montée de Tonnerre, with an elegant palate yet full of concentration and energy. Manages to be both rich and weighty, yet with lots of finesse and drive. Long future ahead. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2028. Click to see full details | |
| Vincent Dampt | Chablis (1er Cru Vaillons) | 2020 | 93 | Vincent trained in the Jura and at Domaine Leflaive before starting to work with his father, setting up his own domaine in 2004. Vincent is a great fan of the acidity in Vaillons and this example proves his point. A combination of green apple and pear fruits, concentration and a mineral, vibrant edge, with that acidity holding everything together. A very energetic wine with a saline character on the finish. Beautifully balanced Vaillons. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2028. Click to see full details | |
| Christophe et Fils | Chablis (1er Cru Mont de Milieu) | 2020 | 92 | Purity of fruit with more of a pear character than stone fruit, and a touch of reduction on the nose that adds to the appeal. Nice weight on the palate, with lovely freshness to keep everything in balance. Not trying too hard, this will mature very nicely over the next couple of years. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2027. Click to see full details | |
| Dampt Freres | Chablis (Bougros Grand Cru) | 2020 | 92 | Vignoble Dampt is a complex business belonging to several brothers. Bougros is a fleshy, forward grand cru with concentration of stone and tree fruit and enough acidity to keep everything fresh. The mineral structure is a little subdued at the moment but will emerge as the fruit evolves. Juicy, mouth-filling and very pure in fruit flavour. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2029. Click to see full details | |
| Dampt Freres | Chablis (Les Preuses Grand Cru) | 2020 | 92 | This is a structured Preuses with a fine combination of fruit ripeness counterbalanced by acidity and salty, mineral notes on the finish. Perhaps not the most concentrated grand cru, this nonetheless retains a lot of elegance, finesse and will appeal to many. Has the potential to improve for two to three years. 25% of the wine was aged in oak barrels with the rest in stainless-steel. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2028. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Agnes & Didier Dauvissat, Les Brèches de Fyé | Chablis | 2020 | 92 | Produced by Agnès, Didier and Florent Dauvissat in Beines. A crisp, clean, dynamic Chablis with lovely citrus acidity and mineral notes to balance the ripeness of green apples and hints of peaches. Very appealing, finishes with a lingering mineral aftertaste. Has the concentration to develop well in bottle. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2025. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Bernard Defaix | Chablis (1er Cru Côte de Léchet) | 2020 | 92 | Bernard Defaix started with just 2ha in 1959, with sons Sylvain and Didier now running operations. The domaine now extends over 27ha, with 8ha in Côte de Léchet. With slopes up to 38 degrees, exposure to the sun is a feature here, along with the pebbly soils. A tank sample, this has richness and warmth to it, with some oak character and leesy notes from extended ageing. Good freshness to finish. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2027. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Billaud-Simon | Chablis (1er Cru Fourchaume) | 2020 | 92 | Small parcel for Billaud-Simon. Quite rich, as expected, but doesn't have the finesse of Vaillons. From the climat of Vaupoulent and fermented in tank, from vines grown on thin, stony soils at the top of the hill. Retains finesse and is for relatively early drinking. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2026. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Billaud-Simon | Chablis (1er Cru Vaulorent) | 2020 | 92 | Produced with purchased grapes. Nice touch of subtle spice here, hints of orange and lime zest, nice fresh acidity, but just lacking a little mid-palate weight. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2026. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Billaud-Simon, Tête d'Or | Chablis | 2020 | 92 | Longer aged than the classic Chablis cuvée, with 25% matured in wood of different sizes. Plenty of weight and intensity from a selection of parcels just outside Montée de Tonnerre. Spicy, with some intriguing white pepper notes, Olivier Bailly says this will improve for at least three years. A wine to accompany food. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2025. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Camille & Laurent Schaller | Chablis | 2020 | 92 | Domaine Schaller is a family venture based in Préhy. Run by Laurent, with son Camille now in charge of winemaking, the domaine has adopted sustainable practices to produce fine wines across the gamut of Chablis appellations. From 30-year-old vines, the wine is fermented in steel then aged for 10 months on fine lees in steel tanks. A fine AOP Chablis with a salty, flinty character on the palate, vibrant acidity and green apple fruit. Displaying a good balance of acidity, weight, ripeness and elegance, this is a beautifully poised, fresh Chablis. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2024. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Clotilde Davenne | Chablis (1er Cru Vaucoupin) | 2020 | 92 | Based in Préhy, this is a classy Vaucoupin which neither shows an excess of fruit ripeness, nor a leaner, more acidic style. Very good purity of fruit here with a touch of lime and orange on the palate, combined with a mineral structure underneath which keeps the palate very fresh. Restrained, elegant Vaucoupin which is drinking well but will age. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2027. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine François Raveneau | Chablis (Petit Chablis) | 2020 | 92 | From vines grown on the plateau above Les Clos, this is a great introduction to the Raveneau style, showing a lovely crystalline purity on the nose. The palate has a light touch of honey as this wine, like all others in the range, is matured in older wooden vessels. Raveneau's Petit Chablis is a relatively new addition, with the vines planted in 2010 and the first vintage being 2014. What a great place to start. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2024. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Gautheron | Chablis (1er Cru Mont de Milieu) | 2020 | 92 | Quite restrained for Mont de Milieu in 2020, this has a gentle palate yet with plenty of precision. Notes of apple and pear fruit, with fine, lemon-driven acidity and a lingering, salty finish. Not showy but with very good persistence on the finish. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2027. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Jean Claude Courtault | Chablis | 2020 | 92 | An evolving family concern, originally created in 1984 by Jean-Claude and Marie-Chatal Courtault, the business has been bolstered since 2007 by the arrival of daughter Stephanie and her husband Vincent Michelot. The domaine now comprises 22ha. A very complete, elegant and rounded Chablis with plenty to appeal to purists, as well as those looking for some softer fruit characters. Pure and fresh to finish. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2024. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Jean Claude Courtault | Chablis (1er Cru Fourchaume) | 2020 | 92 | Cooler, quite restrained style of Fourchaume. Has a distinctive mineral, earthy feel with a touch of spice and some interesting notes of orange-box on the palate. Not a blockbuster but refreshing and elegant. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2027. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Laroche, Saint Martin | Chablis | 2020 | 92 | Classy, understated style of Chablis with a great balance between ripeness of fruit and powerful acidity. The palate has a creamy texture with no jagged edges and fine, mineral characters coming through on the finish. Real purity and drive here - one of the best Saint Martin Chablis I've tried. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2025. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Laurent et Céline Notton | Chablis (1er Cru Vaucoupin) | 2020 | 92 | A richer, fuller, glossier style of Vaucoupin, with stone fruit on the palate and a touch of something a little more exotic on the finish. Despite the weight and concentration, there is plenty of acidity and mineral drive to keep the wine fresh in the mouth. Will age. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2027. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Louis Moreau | Chablis (1er Cru Vaillons) | 2020 | 92 | Very elegant Vaillons, with fine acidity to support the delicate palate of understated stone and apple fruit. Certainly not a showy wine, this is reserved but will undoubtedly blossom. It has a lovely foundation from the acidity and mineral notes which will keep the wine fresh for many years. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2027. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Orion | Chablis | 2020 | 92 | A new estate, with 10ha based in Préhy, established by Lea Schaller following the retirement of her father in 2019. Very clean, crisp, elegant Chablis with appealing layers of flavour and a long, lingering, mineral-edged finish. Apple fruit character with a hint of zesty citrus on the palate, plus a hint of gunflint; this is thirst-quenching and vibrant. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2024. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Oudin | Chablis (1er Cru Les Vaucoupins) | 2020 | 92 | Vaucoupin is a sunny, south and west facing right-bank climat, south of Chablis. This premier cru shows many of the characters associated with the limestone and dry white clay found here - a certain austerity matched with a touch of smoky reduction. Although certainly not as weighty as might be expected from Vaucoupin's sunny position, this is an elegant, cool Chablis with plenty of ageing potential. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2027. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine P-L & J-F Bersan, Cuvée Marianne | Chablis | 2020 | 92 | Cuvée Marianne comes from 50-year-old vines, fermented with natural yeasts. Weighty and concentrated, with ripe apricot and red apple fruits, this will age well for several years. Intriguing notes of quince and spices on the palate, which possesses a long aftertaste. A very individual and classy Chablis Tank sample. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2023. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Pinson Frères | Chablis (1er Cru Mont de Milieu) | 2020 | 92 | Understated power is evident on the nose. Initially quite reticent, this unfurls with more aeration, developing toasty, spicy characters from maturation in older wood. Lemon and lime zest on the palate keeps everything fresh. A classy Mont de Milieu which will age well for at least three to four years. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2027. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Sébastien Dampt | Chablis (1er Cru Beugnons) | 2020 | 92 | Les Beugnons is one of the eight climats within the wider Vaillons Premier Cru, with a moderate slope and south to southwest exposure, making it an earlier-ripening climat. In 2020, this is a fine premier cru wine with intensity and concentration of stone fruit and red apples. Plushly textured, this is balanced by typical Vaillons acidity and a chalky, drying minerality on the palate. Will be a fine gastronomic wine. Very successful and complex in character. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2027. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Sébastien Dampt | Chablis (1er Cru Côte de Léchet) | 2020 | 92 | A very precise, focused example of the distinctive Côte de Léchet. Apple notes on the nose are combined with some white flower aromas, with a fine texture, great acidity and a refined mouthfeel. Driving acidity on the finish suggests this is a premier cru built for longer ageing. Lots of purity here. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2028. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Ternynck | Chablis (1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre) | 2020 | 92 | A tank sample and a little deeper in colour than expected, but there is a fine balance between ripe stone fruit and the underlying structure of Kimmeridgian soil, with a distinctive mineral undertow. Oak is a little evident, but this will settle once bottled and matured. Plenty of interest and purity here. One to watch. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2027. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Ternynck | Chablis (1er Cru Vaillons) | 2020 | 92 | Situated in Préhy, Domaine Ternynck has been certified HVE (High Environmental Value) since 2015, and has been in conversion to organic since 2018, and biodynamic since 2019. The estate also produces red wines and Sauvignon Saint-Bris, as well as experimenting with clay amphorae. A classy Vaillons with aromas of wildflowers, orchard fruit and a fine thread of acidity to keep the palate fresh. Generous texture from ageing on lees, there is lovely purity of fruit here and potential for improvement over several years. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2027. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine William Fèvre | Chablis (1er Cru Beauroy) | 2020 | 92 | There’s quite a bit of spice here although the palate is restrained and with good concentration. Less showy, a wine built for the long haul, this is classy and will age very well. From three parcels in Beauroy. No battonage, 25-30% in wood and 16-17 months maturation. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2027. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine William Fèvre | Chablis (1er Cru Fourchaume) | 2020 | 92 | Quite a lot of weight here. A tad overripe perhaps? Less precision than the other wines so far. Big, powerful example of Fourchaume. Loads of acidity to keep everything fresh, should age well, perhaps not in quite such an elegant way. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2027. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine William Fèvre | Chablis (1er Cru Mont de Milieu) | 2020 | 92 | Fèvre’s Mont de Milieu shows a slightly different fruit profile, being a tad richer and broader in character. Fresh and fleshy on the palate, this is a little less harmonious now but will age well and get better with some age in bottle. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2027. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine William Fèvre | Chablis (1er Cru Vaillons) | 2020 | 92 | A restrained Vaillons with nice balance but not quite the drive of this producer’s Montmains at the moment. A precocious, richer example of premier cru but with the stuffing to age well, showing sappy fruit, with a lovely hint of lime on the palate. Relatively early drinking but will keep. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2026. Click to see full details | |
| Dominique Gruhier | Chablis (1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre) | 2020 | 92 | Dominique Gruhier took over the estate in 1990 and it has been organically certified since 2010. From vines planted in 1976, this is an intriguing, organic Montée de Tonnerre. There's plenty happening here, ranging from the powerful nose of vibrant, toasty, spicy characters through to the zesty lime and orange notes on the palate. Underneath all of this is characteristic minerality and flintiness waiting to emerge. I am interested to see how this develops over the next two to three years. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2027. Click to see full details | |
| J Moreau & Fils | Chablis | 2020 | 92 | Still quite primary, perhaps as it's a tank sample, but there is great precision here and this Chablis clearly has the concentration and depth to develop extremely well, showing hints of stone fruit matched with green apple. Plenty of acidity is evident, as is a flinty, savoury aftertaste. Would be good to taste once bottled but there is enough on show already to suspect it will be very classy. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2025. Click to see full details | |
| Le Domaine D'Henri | Chablis (1er Cru Fourchaume) | 2020 | 92 | Spicy, toasty notes on the nose and palate. Plenty of concentration here with excellent acidity acting as a great counterfoil for the density on the palate. Easy to identify this as Fourchaume. Weighty, rich, quite dramatic, albeit a little bit showy for some tastes. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2027. Click to see full details | |
| Les Marronniers | Chablis (1er Cru Les Montmains) | 2020 | 92 | Montmains is a substantial Premier Cru, covering 118ha. With morning sun and a windier aspect, it is cooler than neighbouring Vaillons. This is emphasised in this example with drive and energy within the succulent, ripe fruit on the palate. Good acidity and mineral notes to finish. Although a tank sample this has lots of potential. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2027. Click to see full details | |
| Maison Stephane Brocard, Vieilles Vignes | Chablis | 2020 | 92 | Stéphane Brocard, son of Jean-Marc, set up his own négociant business in 2007. From old vines, this has power on the nose, with concentrated peach fruit combined with a hint of bitter pear skin and green apple acidity on the palate. Plenty of complexity and interesting layers of flavour, finishing with a marked salty, mineral note and freshness, this is a fine vieilles vignes Chablis which will age well. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2025. Click to see full details | |
| Roland Lavantureux | Chablis | 2020 | 92 | A wine which captures the essence of classic Chablis from the past yet manages to make it modern and more approachable. Lots of concentration of fruit with great purity, allied with a salty aftertaste and a fine line of lemon and lime acidity. Despite the weight, this is lifted and lively on the palate. A fine Chablis. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2026. Click to see full details | |
| Samuel Billaud | Chablis (1er Cru Les Fourneaux) | 2020 | 92 | Another premier cru produced from bought-in grapes, the warmth of the vintage can be seen in the fuller, riper, fleshier style, yet this is a premier cru which has an extra layer of depth and concentration. A serious Chablis which is destined to age well. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2028. Click to see full details | |
| Samuel Billaud, Vieilles Vignes | Chablis (1er Cru Vaillons) | 2020 | 92 | A blend of roughly half Samuel's own grapes, with the balance from a long-term grower relationship. This is a lovely Vaillons with an intense floral nose, combined with light peach and apricot fruit on the palate, all kept in check by linear citrus acidity. Complex, cool on the palate and with great tension. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2028. Click to see full details | |
| Vincent Dampt | Chablis | 2020 | 92 | A complex Chablis, as expected from this leading Milly domaine. As well as purity of fruit flavour, there are extra levels of gunflint, savoury notes and great acidity; lots of energy on the palate here. A more serious Chablis but one to appeal to lovers of this appellation. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2025. Click to see full details |