Of the 12,000 acres of vineyards planted in Chablis, only seven vineyards covering 250 (2%) qualify as Grand Cru. And of these seven, most consider the “Les Clos” the finest. As Master of Wine Clive Coates puts it, Les Clos combines “depth, intensity, and great elegance” – or in other words, is “Chablis at its very, very finest.”
As you can imagine, there’s not much of Les Clos to go around. The Domaine Jean Collet’s tiny plot of 65-year old vines covers less than half and acre – enough for about 1,000 bottles – but the wine is always superb.
Collet’s entire 2017 lineup is in our the March Futures Issue, which will be released next week. But we’re particularly excited about this Grand Cru, so we’re opening up the bidding early. For obvious reasons, quantities are limited — first come, first served.
The Domaine Collet’s star is on the rise – the family’s twentysomething son Romain took over winemaking about 6 years ago, and we quickly noticed a real improvement in the character of the wine. In recent years the wine writers – Vinous, Jasper Morris, Burghound, among others – have also been impressed, noting a “higher level of refinement” and a “significant upsurge in quality.”
Master of Wine Jasper Morris was particularly taken with Les Clos this year, finding a “magical nose with chiseled concentration,” awarding 92-95 points, and concluding: “pure class.” We found orchard fruit on the nose, with notes of white flowers and shells. The mouth is pure and intense with pears, grapeskin, and an exquisite mineral line coming through the mouthfilling richness.
It’s hard to find Grand Cru Burgundy of either color for less than $100/bot, and many push quickly past $500. At $54/bot this wine is hardly your next by the glass house white, but for what it delivers it remains a genuine bargain. It’s not a wine you’ll soon forget.
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Collet Chablis Grand Cru “Les Clos” 2017
Ansonia Retail: $864
March Futures: $650/case
Email Tom to reserve a case