From: Chablis, Burgundy, France
Varietal: Chardonnay
Taste: Considered one of the best Premier Crus of Chablis, Vocoret & Fils has been a hands-on, family-owned estate for five generations. This wine is 'old school' in the best way, showing off its terroir and distinct Kimmeridgian minerality vintage after vintage. In the glass, you’ll find flinty aromas that open into a medley of floral, citrus, fruit, and undertones of minerality that continue to evolve and unfold in layers as the wine opens. Hints of gardenia encircle zesty lemon curd, Meyer lemon, and even a hint of tangerine. A wave of sea spray minerality underscores fruits like Asian pear and juicy white peach and conveys a lithe, nervy spine that continues to a long, luxurious finish.
Pairing: Versatile and impressive, this premier cru Chablis will be at home with a wide range of dishes. Seafood, poultry, fresh produce, and cheeses are easy places to start. Some specific ideas include serving this with oysters, fresh Dungeness crab, grilled or pan-fried fish (halibut, cod, bass, and trout), scallops, shrimp, and lobster. Sushi, grilled hamachi collar aka ara yaki, pork or chicken katsu, and tempura are Japanese dishes that’ll shine with this pretty Chablis. Other ideas include serving this with gnocchi or risotto with spring vegetables, plus chicken served with lemon or herb sauces and roasted chicken. Cheeses like brie and camembert, triple cream cheeses like Saint-André, fresh or aged goat cheese like Crottin de Chavignol, and even hard cheeses like Comté or Gruyère make for lovely matches.
About the winery via the importer, Terlato Wine Group. Five generations of the Vocoret family have been growing vines on the clay-chalk hillsides in Chablis, where the most famous grapes are harvested. The domaine has been passed from father to son, along with numerous uncles and cousins as a part of the vineyard and cellar, each having their own area of expertise. While vineyard cultivation goes back to 1867, the first wines produced with the Vocoret label were around 1930. Even with this delayed participation in the industry, the Vocoret family marked themselves as vanguards by being the first to use a pneumatic press, install temperature-controlled tanks, and machine harvest their crop.
Patrice Vocoret is the current winemaker and started working in the winery after completing his army service at age 21. He grew into the job by learning every aspect of growing and making wine, and decided the cellar was the place for him while Jérôme Vocoret chose the vineyard as his area of focus creating the perfect partnership.
The family now owns 120 acres of vineyards in Petit Chablis, Villages, Premiers Crus and Grands Crus.
