Orders are available for pick-up at Restaurant Nicholas at 160 Route 35 South Red Bank, NJ 07701 during the following times:
Monday: 9:30-3:30; Tuesday – Friday: 9:15am – 9:00pm; Saturday: 11:00am – 9:00pm; Sunday: Closed
$35.00
This one is about as good as it gets.
I told you a few weeks ago when we offered the Vocoret that I was one of the stingiest Chablis critics out there. The reasons are varied but boil down to three huge factors.
First – though many wines say they come from a particular vineyard, they changed the rules so that many of the vineyards can just use the name of their more famous neighbors. Absurd, I know.
Secondly, soil and vintage matter. And when the Premiers Cru were massively expanded in the 80’s, many were expanded to now include Portlandian soil which makes a very different finished wine than the Kimmeridgian Marl that put the very top wines on the map.
Finally – many, many producers will make wine off a particular vineyard with results that vary widely. So – the moral is I have to taste each and every Chablis, each and every year – no matter what.
But when I find a homerun, you have some of the best white wine in the world – ready and willing to age for decades – at a fraction of the price Corton-Charlemagne (with which the best Chablis easily compete).
Directly across town from Grand Cru Les Clos lies one of the most interesting Premier Cru vineyards in Chablis – Les Vaillons. Yes, the soil is Kimmeridgian Marl and southeast-facing hillside bakes in the morning sun – allowing the grapes to achieve perfect ripeness despite the cool temperatures.
Many bottlings from this precious vineyard fetch between $60 and $100+ but not this stunner from Dampt. It’s a true family operation – and they actually own the land – keeping costs substantially lower than the neighbors.
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It’s an electric white Burgundy, with a limestone-laced aromatic profile of green apple, pear and hazelnut. Refined and high-toned, the pure, delicious fruit that is a hallmark of this terrific vintage, finishes long and fresh, with a mile-long mineral streak.
2022 was an absolutely perfect vintage in this respect and unfortunately, I think it will be one of the last, if not THE last. As winegrower Jean-Marc Brocard reported to Decanter: “When we taste the wines, we feel that the balance between acidity and ripeness is very good. It’s a classic style of Chablis. In the end, even after such a heat during summertime, we stay in a cool year reference.” He also alluded to the ageability of the vintage, saying “Let’s give them time, we must let nature do its work.”
The newly released 2022 Domaine Laroche Chablis Saint Martin has some big shoes to fill as the last four vintages have earned 92-points or higher, but the early indications are that this is line with previous vintages if not even a little bit ahead at this stage. The problem is – there’s almost none to go around with much smaller yields. Still this is beautiful and crisp, with good focus, energy and depth. I get the signature green fruits on the nose, with some Asian pear, and a hint of jasmine blossom. There’s a beautiful mineral streak that highlights this one. It’s a fantastic White Burg for the price.
It’s hard to beat a great value white wine and this one is a at least a cut above the rest. One prominant industry insider called the 2022 edition, “the best white wine by any within $20/cs of this price.” It’s super crisp with a great mineral streak, and was carefully picked by hand when the temperature is coolest and is kept cool all the way into the press. From there, the effect of the mineral soil takes over, providing great finesse and freshness in every bottle. This white blend has great backbone and a lot of juicy fruit coming through behind aromas of flowers and stone fruits. At this price, it’s a no brainer.
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