Régnard Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 2018

Maison Regnard was founded in 1840 and is one of the oldest houses in Chablis, still keeping a cellar in the centre of the town. This Premier Cru comes from Vaillons, a well-regarded slope on the left bank of the Serein. The vines are around thirty years old and rooted in clayey, calcareous soils from the late Jurassic, the Kimmeridgian marl full of fossil shells that gives Chablis its salinity and chalky drive. The grapes are hand harvested. The wine goes through malolactic fermentation, which converts sharp malic acid into softer lactic acid, and is then aged on its fine lees. That lees ageing adds body and a subtle savoury, nutty depth while the absence of new oak keeps the fruit and minerality clean and precise. Bottle age from the 2018 vintage has begun to round the wine and add complexity. The colour is bright gold with green tints. The nose is fresh and stony, with lemon, green apple and white flowers over a developing hazelnut note. The palate is taut and mineral, the firm acidity carrying citrus and pear to a long, saline, chalky finish. Serve chilled at 10 to 12 degrees.