2020 Chablis from Domaine Jean Collet & Fils
On our way back from the Côte d'Or last week we managed to find time to call in to see Domaine Collet in Chablis. Having sold out of our initial allocation of the 2020s, we are delighted to have secured further stocks, available from bond for delivery in January.
Romain Collet is a charming chap and exudes the confidence of someone whose family have been in Chablis since 1792. Since taking the helm of the family business, 35 year-old Romain has rapidly made his way into the top-tier of winemakers in the region. Unusually, he vinifies each premier and grand cru parcel in a different way, according to its terroir, an approach inspired by his grandfather.
The 1er Cru 'Les Forêts' is fermented in 90% inert concrete eggs and is precise, with intense minerality on the finish. The 'Montée de Tonnerre' is fermented in older wood and has excellent breadth and power. The 'Vaillons' sees two-thirds oak and combines elements from each of the other two wines, making for a very complete premier cru Chablis which combines finesse and power.
Despite their differences, Romain's wines all have a distinct style which sums up classic Chablis; finely balanced minerality, ripeness of fruit, tension and concentration. These attributes have been difficult to come by in recent years, so it was a delight to find that, despite the severe reductions in harvest due to frosts in recent vintages, the domaine has wine to sell!
The wines are clearly in great demand in France and other export markets, but have not been widely available in the UK in recent years, so they feel like a new discovery for us, despite being so well-established. It would be hard to propose any finer examples of white burgundy at this price, so please don't miss them, as there will be very little to offer from the 2021 vintage.
New to our list for this offer is Romain's Crémant de Bourgogne Brut NV, made from fruit from his Petit Chablis vineyards. This was a joy to taste and at under £19 per bottle with all taxes, it offers a great value but still very classy alternative to champagne, so we suggest adding a few cases to your order!
Offered in bond, available January 2023.
Producer Profile
Domaine Jean Collet et Fils
The Collet family have quietly been producing Chablis since 1792, but in the last few years, the domaine has begun to gain attention, under Romain Collet, who is rapidly making his way into the top-tier of winemakers in the region.
Domaine Jean Collet & Fils has not been widely imported into the UK, so we were delighted to have obtained allocations beginning with the 2020 vintage.
Romain combines great winemaking and knowledge of his family's vineyards with an easy charm and dynamism. He has converted much of the estate to organic viticulture and uses a mixture of stainless steel, older wooden barrels and other inert vessels in which to mature the wines, varying the élevage for each cuvée to suit the terroir.
