From: Burgundy, France
Varietal: Chardonnay
On a ridge between the Premier Cru vineyards of Montmains and Vaillons in Chablis lies the Pargues vineyard, from which this wine is sourced. Historically, this vineyard was also classified Premier Cru just like its immediate neighbors. After the First World War (and the ensuing devastation of Northern France), the vineyard fell into disrepair, and the vineyard was declassified down to basic Chablis. The funny thing about terroir though, is you can change an area's name and its official status, but the soil and climate never change! All you need is the right person to come along and coax that terroir back into the bottle. The Servin family were just the people to do it. They replanted the vineyard after the Second World War, but not with just any old vines from the local nursery. No, they selected the best vines already producing in their vineyards and used cuttings from those to plant the Pargues vineyard! And now, with 50-year-old vines and a dedication to quality, the delights and complexities that are found in these bottles are virtually indistinguishable from its Premier Cru neighbors.
Tasting Notes: This has everything we want from Chablis – mineral, fruit, elegance, depth, concentration, and energy. On the nose, apple, lime, and crushed stones immediately let you know that this is top-notch Chablis. On the palate, there is an extra dimension of depth than one normally encounters at this humble price-point. Minerality gives way to succulent pear and subtle hints of apricot on the rich mid-palate, before this zesty, vibrant mouthful returns to that stony, saline minerality on the pure, clean, and incredibly long finish.
