Chablis is one of those classic French white wine styles which fell out of favour somewhat in the latter years of the 20th century, marred by a fussiness and rigid set of traditions that were rather out of step with a younger, more dynamised industry. However, there were – of course – plenty of winemakers unwilling to give up the ghost, and who had the savoir-faire, the ambition, and the bloody-mindedness to show the world exactly what they were missing. Among them was Sebastian Christophe and his family… and we’re more than a little happy that he carried on doing what he and his parents before him did best.
Sebastian took over the ancestral winery in 1999, and set about modernising the operation and reimagining the classic Chablis style for a more modern, more discerning international audience. The first step was to cut right back on chemical intervention, allowing more expression and quirks of the land to come through in the bottle. Second on the list was to vinify in new stainless steel ‘cuves’, which brought out a crisper edge to the wines. The third? Well, that was to wait for the world to discover his superb wines, and to bask in the glow of his vindicated success. We’ll drink to that!
Seb Christophe produces incisive and very zesty wines, with plenty of energy and pure citrus and tree fruit. This is his standard Chablis, but it is a cut above many other producer’s wines. Lots of salinity and crushed rocks on the finish here, making it mouthwatering and delicious.
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