Christophe et Fils Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume 2020

Christophe et Fils is basically a one man show. There’s no sign post chez Sébastien Christophe. He doesn’t need it. His wines aren’t to be found in the local restaurants and no bottles are spared for the expert reviewers. Every year – his entire production is completely pre-sold – mostly to well-heeled private collectors in Britain and a few of the top restaurants in the world.

To hear Sébastien tell it, you don’t even get the impression that he fashions himself a winemaker – he might be more comfortable with the moniker – ‘winegrower’ as he’s really more of a passionate farmer.

Perhaps that’s just in his blood. For the record, Sébastien is an incredible winemaker but he also has a bit of luck on his side. He was lucky enough to inherit some extremely valuable parcels (some his grandfather himself planted back 1959!) located behind the Grand cru slope and Premier crus of the Serein river’s right bank.

This 1er cru comes from Fourchaume to the north. Wines cut off this special soil are complex and super intense, distinguishing itself from the rest of the region with its elegance, finesse and roundness. It’s textbook 1er cru Chablis that slowly unveils incredible depth and sophistication in the glass. Made from mostly brown clay soil that drains well and runs incredibly deep to the roots, this has an incredible combo of pineapple, grapefruit, chalky minerality, wildflower, and granny smith apple that continue to unfold with time in the glass.