The (Foreboding) Joy of Chablis

I'm coming to terms with the reality that there are going to be wines that may not exist in the future; wines that I really will miss. To be fair, I'm prone to the phenomenon of foreboding joy—if you're not familiar with this concept, it's essentially the thing where the thrill of going on vacation is quickly supplanted by images of the plane crashing—but Chablis has been fraught for many vintages now, so it's not just my anxiety issues at play here.

Frost and hail consistently wipes out vineyards. Prices keep going up. Winemakers like Olivier and Alice De Moor have been attempting to spur neighbors and fellow winemakers to action before it's too late to save the region. In an open letter from last year, they wrote that "an average reduction in yields of at least 35% is anticipated within the next ten years." The De Moor's plea is for an ambitious collective action to rebuild the symbiosis between the vines and the ecosystem; individuals working in isolation to maximize yields will not work any longer.

Hopefully this happens before it's too late. Frankly, it is not that hard to imagine a time when I'm telling people I have Chablis in my closet and they react like they do now when I tell them I have a cassette Walkman.  

As we get into the season of holiday gatherings and dinners with friends, I like to push the envelope with zero/zero heroes and North American hybrids—but I also like to enjoy wines that we consider classics for a reason. So I've been hoarding bottles from my favorite Chablis producers over the past few months. A few times before I've been ready to send this email but another wine will have sold out. So get these while you can, and maybe you can show a bottle to your kids some day. I know that sounds ridiculous—let's hope it is. 

Cheers,

Jonathan

SHOP CHABLIS NOW

Val de Mer (Piuze) Bourgogne Blanc 2021 $23.00 Not officially Chablis, but pretty darn close for under $30, which is not easy to find. Patrick Piuze sources this fruit from Tonnerre, in the Chablis region, and it is made with the classic Chablis profile we can't get enough of. Aged in stainless steel. Shop now Samuel Billaud Petit Chablis 2020 $32.00 Steely, citrusy, mineral elegance. The 2021 vintage will be $10 more per bottle and still worth every cent. Shop now Julien Brocard 'Les Plantes' Petit Chablis 2021 $36.00 A rare biodynamic Chablis producer, Julien split off from his family's winery (Jean-Marc Brocard) in 2011. These were off my radar for too long, and are now some of my favorites in the region. I can't recommend them enough. Shop now Gerard Duplessis Petit Chablis 2019 $38.00 Shop now Moreau Naudet Chablis 2021 $42.00 Shop now Gerard Duplessis Chablis Villages 2019 $42.00 Shop now Julien Brocard 'Boissonneuse' Chablis 2021 $44.00 I really had a moment with this wine when it first arrived, and I wasn't shy about telling everyone. We sold through the first batch but luckily got some more. Boissonneuse is the vineyard where Julien began using biodynamic practices back in the late 1990s. Shop now Gerard Duplessis 'Vaillons' Chablis 2019 $59.00 Shop now

Julien Brocard 'Montee de Tonnerre' Chablis 1er Cru 2021 $69.00 Shop now Moreau-Naudet Premier Cru "Vaillons" Chablis 2021 $72.00 Shop now Moreau-Naudet Premier Cru "Forets" Chablis 2021 $72.00 Shop now Alice and Olivier De Moor Bourgogne Aligote 2021 $39.00 Shop now Alice and Olivier De Moor Chitry Bourgogne 2021 $54.00 Shop now Alice et Olivier De Moor L'Humeur De Temps Chablis 2021 $64.00 Shop now Alice and Olivier De Moor Vau de Vey Chablis 1er Cru 2020 $125.00 Shop now Alice and Olivier De Moor Mont de Milieu Chablis 1er Cru 2020 $125.00 Shop now

Gerard Duplessis 'Vaillons' Chablis Magnum 2019 [1.5L] $124.00 Shop now Julien Brocard 'Boissonneuse' Chablis Magnum 2021 [1.5L] $89.00 Shop now