Chablis 1er Cru Vau de Vey AOC 2023

Wine Description for Chablis 1er Cru Vau de Vey AOC 2023 from de l’Enclos

Colour & Appearance

Medium straw yellow with brilliant clarity – a classic appearance for a young Premier Cru from Chablis.

Nose

Powerful and intense, this 1er Cru presents itself with a bouquet of lemon juice, lemon pips and lemon zest. These are joined by hay, white flowers and the typical Chablis signature of damp lichen on wet stone. Subtle notes of smoke, flint and green apple round out the aromatic profile.

Palate

On the palate, the Vau de Vey reveals its full class: juicy, powerful and firm, yet simultaneously of creamy texture. The balance is masterful – bright, ripe fruit meets powerful acidity, light tannins and phenolics. The oak remains discreet in the background, the slightly creamy texture stemming from ageing on fine lees. Depth, freshness, juice and salinity characterise this mouth-watering, vibrant Premier Cru par excellence.

Finish

Long-lasting with mineral precision and refreshing acidity that invites the next sip.

Terroir & Origin

The 2.77-hectare parcel of the Bouchards lies in the Premier Cru vineyard site Vau de Vey (40.57 ha in total), a steep, east-facing slope in the side valley near Beines, to the left of the Serein. Unlike the right bank of the river with pure Kimmeridge limestone, here you find Argilo-Calcaire – calcareous clay with loam. This terroir gives the wines a somewhat more floral and lighter character than the vineyard sites on the right bank.

Grape Variety & Vinification

100% Chardonnay from vines planted in 1979. Harvest on 21st/22nd September 2023, spontaneous fermentation. Ageing for 13 months, split equally between stainless steel and used tonneaux on fine lees. Coarse filtration, low sulphiting (52 mg/l total sulphur).

Food Pairing Suggestions

Perfect with oysters, scallops, monkfish in butter, lobster or pike-perch with saffron sauce. Also an excellent choice with goat’s cheese and Comté.

Special Features

An authentic, artisanally vinified Chablis Premier Cru with minimalist intervention – a textbook example of the mineral elegance of the left bank of the Serein.