Varietal
100% Chardonnay.
Yield 58 hl/ha.
Tasting notes
Light gold colour.
Complex and expressive nose offering almond, peach and mandarin notes.
The mouth is fresh yet sweet with aromas of yellow fruits accompanied by a nice minerality, long and persistant.
Food and wine pairing
Will be the perfect companion to all fish (salmon in white butter sauce), shellfish and crustaceans (guinea fowl) and white meats (a roasted capon).
Serving suggestions
Serve ideally at a temperature of 14°C.
Ageing potential
Already very pleasant, it will keep for at least 5 years in the cellar.
Origin
Chablis, located near Auxerre in the Yonne department, is one of Burgundy's most northerly vineyards. The appellation has 40 climats classified as premiers crus, including 17 main ones.
Situated on the left bank of the Serein, in the centre of the hillside to the south-west of Chablis, the 105 hectares of Premier Cru Vaillons enjoy a particularly favourable exposure and, quite rightly, an excellent reputation. Gently sloping hillsides. Kimmeridgian marl.
The diversity of this Premier Cru's sub-soils is reflected in the plots of Beugnon, Chatain and Minot. Vinified separately, the cuvées from these 3 parcels were then blended to bring out the full richness of the vintage.
Behind the term "Vaillons" lies the notion of a small valley (from the Latin "vallis" or "valles" meaning "elongated space between two areas").
Vinification and maturing
- Pneumatic pressing
- Static cold settling of the musts
- Alcoholic fermentation started in stainless steel vats
- For the wine remaining in the stainless steel vats, fermentation for 7 to 10 days at controlled temperatures (18 to 20°C) to conserve as much fruit as possible.
- After 3 days, around 20% of the juice is drawn off and transferred into fine-grained wooden barrels for the continuation of the fermentation process.
- 100% malolactic fermentation.
- Ageing on lees for 10 months.
Vintage : 2017
The growing season started pretty early with a budburst at the end of March, making 2017 one of the earliest vintage after 2011 and 2007.
Mid-April, in the Chablis area, the vines already had reached the 2-3 spread leaves stage when temperatures dropped significantly and caused widespread frost which heavily affected the vineyards, in particular in the North-Eastern part of the region.
Alternating periods of cool to much milder temperatures caused variations of the vintage earliness.
The mid-flowering stage was reached one week ahead compared with the average of the last 20 years.
June and July were warm, allowing a rapid growth of the vegetation and a good bunches evolution. Conditions were so reasonably comfortable that everyone was prepared for an early harvest.
However, August was really cooler and ripening started very late, to be finally completely achieved only around the 20th of August. Botrytis also appeared progressively with the maturing and great vigilance was therefore required… Fortunately the weather went warm again and the sugar/acidity quickly became interesting.
The first grapes of Chablis arrived on September the 6th at the winery while the ones coming from the Saint-Bris area, were harvested from the 13 September.