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Winner Details

FRANCE: Chablis

2019 GOLD: 9       SILVER:5       BRONZE: 6      COMMENDED: 15
2018 GOLD: 2       SILVER: 4      BRONZE: 3      COMMENDED: 2

Wow! Like the Loire, Chablis’ performance in the Sommelier Wine Awards can vary significantly from year to year. And if 2018’s efforts were decidedly underwhelming, we really hit a sweet spot this year. The simpler AC Chablis wines were mostly 2017, while nearly all the cru wines were from 2015. Both vintages, clearly, are drinking beautifully now, because the feedback from the tasters here was about as good as it gets.

Yes, they could detect two styles (richer and more linear), but it’s obvious which they prefer: our tasters want to feel as though they’re biting into a lump of chalk and sucking on a lemon at the same time – and there were lots of the latter here this year. The result: a hatful of medals and a record number of Golds.

Interestingly, given that prices have risen significantly over the past few years thanks to the combination of frost and duty rises, not one taster mentioned the cost of the wines. Why? Because, as Jennifer Aniston would say, they’re worth it.

FROM THE TASTING TEAMS

‘These are definitely a must-have, and I’d be able to find what I needed for a list from these here today. We saw some exceptional examples.’ Sylwester Piasecki, Zuma

‘Great flight, different characters. Some more lemony, some more honeyed, some more yeasty. It shows how eclectic the wines can be, and I loved them.’ Chiara Sieni, Bottles Group

‘For us, Chablis is a high seller. The guest is looking for freshness, citrus, lemony flavour. Some had quite ripe fruit, a different style.’ Rémi Cousin, Le Gavroche

‘Phenomenal. Very classic. Acidity, minerality, everything was there.’ Carlos Ferreira, team leader

‘All the flight was incredible. In general, very good quality, very good value for money. A classic wine that’s very versatile, works very well with food and is something unique – Chablis is Chablis.’ Noelia Calleja, Hakkasan Hanway Place

Award winners

Found 35 wines

France: Chablis

Savary, Chablis Sélection Vieilles Vignes 2014, Burgundy, France

Gold medal winner

As this took its place on the Gold List, team leader Nigel Lister praised its ‘typicity, as well as good acidity’, while fellow team leader Jade Koch appreciated its ‘smoky, gunflint nose, leading to some good grip and texture, with some citrus, too’, further describing it as ‘chewy and lean’. Sylwester Piasecki of Zuma was impressed by its ‘concentrated lemon and lime notes, with some mineral oyster shell and grapefruit, too’, and liked its ‘long finish’.

£15.62 Bancroft Wines

Domaine Jean Goulley, Chablis 2017, Burgundy, France

Gold medal winner

On encountering this complex Gold Lister, Sylwester Piasecki of Zuma painted a picture of an ‘elegant wine, with fresh lime and lemon, but spicy and floral, with some oyster shell, too’, while team leader Jade Koch thought it ‘complex, rich and balanced, with a lovely salty, chalky weight’, following an ‘intense, inviting nose that’s honeyed and oily’. Raphael Thierry of Street XO, meanwhile, enjoyed its ‘grapefruit bitterness with smoky minerality’.

£19.34 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

J Moreau & Fils, Petit Chablis 2017, Burgundy, France

Gold medal winner

This standout Petit Chablis took home a Gold medal for its ‘lovely fresh and food-friendly style’, according to team leader Nigel Lister, who found ‘classic Chablis character’. For fellow team leader Laurent Richet MS this meant ‘a honeyed, slightly waxy texture and flavour, along with crushed-stone minerality, with some lovely depth of flavour of honeysuckle and lemon’, while Chiara Sieni of Bottles Group appreciated additional notes of ‘delicate tomato leaf and bell pepper, as well as some graphite’.

£16.11 Matthew Clark, Inverarity Morton

Domaine de Vauroux, Chablis 1er Cru, Montée de Tonnerre 2015, Burgundy, France

Gold medal winner

'Complex, with great texture and balance,' thought an impressed Adam Michocki of The Glasshouse on encountering this Gold winner, describing notes of 'ripe lemon, melon and pomelo, as well as mineral notes of chalk, crushed rock and seashell', before identifying it as 'perfect both as an aperitif or to drink with seafood'. Team leader Carlos Ferreira added more praise for its 'elegant nose, with red and green apples, some stone fruit and butter, leading to a palate that's floral, with nice acidity, that finishes long and balanced.'

£19.66 Enotria&Coe

Domaine Louis Michel, Chablis 1er Cru, Montmain 2015, Burgundy, France

Gold medal winner

‘A superb wine,’ commented an approving Rémi Cousin of Le Gavroche as judges awarded this Gold, while team leader Lionel Periner described notes of ‘green tea, lemongrass, coriander and lemon, and a palate that is fresh and elegant, finishing dry, flinty and long’. Francisco Macedo of Cliveden House added praise for its ‘amazing acidity, with stone fruit and peach, as well as some herbaceous notes – all leading to a lush finish’.

£23.49 Enotria&Coe

J Moreau & Fils, Chablis Premier Cru Vaucoupin 2016, Burgundy, France

Gold medal winner

For team leader Carlos Ferreira this Gold Lister was ‘elegant, with lots of stone fruit and oak on the nose, as well as some asparagus and almond notes, leading to a palate that’s both smooth and super spicy, with great balance, too’. Adam Michocki of The Glasshouse, meanwhile, described notes of ‘lemon zest, pomelo and yellow grapefruit, as well as some honeysuckle, honey and vanilla, along with a chalky, crushed-rock note with saline minerality’.

£28.79 Matthew Clark

Domaine Louis Michel, Chablis Grand Cru, Vaudésir 2015, Burgundy, France

Gold medal winner

‘Wow!’ began team leader Laurent Richet MS as this was elevated to Gold, going on to describe it as ‘flinty, vibrant and intense, with a lovely, ripe mid-palate’. Adam Michocki of The Glasshouse enjoyed its ‘lovely fruit profile of lemon, lime, green apple and melon, with a very expressive palate that’s smooth, mineral and very food friendly’, while team leader Carlos Ferreira identified ‘almonds, stone fruit and yellow apple, as well as some oak’, and described a ‘classic palate with salted asparagus and crisp acidity’.

£41.13 Enotria&Coe

Gilbert Picq, Chablis 1er Cru, Vosgros 2015, Burgundy, France

Gold medal winner

Team leader Lionel Periner found 'fresh lime with some elegant, herbaceous character, as well as flinty notes,’ going on to admire a ‘light palate with good, intense acidity and a finish that’s tart with minerals'. Le Gavroche’s Remi Cousin, meanwhile, summed up this Gold Lister’s characteristics as 'nutty'. James Fryer of Woodhead 17 noted a ‘gunmetal, almost rocky, nose, with baked lemon, matchstick and taut, unripe apricot’, before concluding that it ‘needs time’.

£19.71 Bibendum

Domaine Lupé-Cholet, Château de Viviers, Chablis 1er Cru, Les Vaillons 2015, Burgundy, France

Gold medal winner

On encountering this accomplished Gold winner, team leader Lionel Periner described it as ‘elegant, with fresh peach and lemon aromas, and a palate that’s complex, with good acidity on the finish’, while James Fryer of Woodhead 17 further noted some ‘citrus pith on the nose, leading to a smoky, saline palate, with peach flesh and apricot skin, too’. ‘Savoury, juicy, crisp and precise,’ summarised Mattia Mazzi of The River Cafe.

£21.88 Enotria&Coe

La Chablisienne, Paul Deloux Chablis 2015, Burgundy, France

Silver medal winner

‘An amazing palate,’ said team leader Laurent Richet MS, ‘it’s balanced and clean but this delivers itself slowly across the palate and doesn’t stop giving. There’s a slight touch of new oak and a flinty, smoky taste; it’s very moreish.’

£16.43 Matthew Clark

Domaine de Vauroux, Olivier Tricon Chablis 2017, Burgundy, France

Silver medal winner

‘This is bright, sharp, young and punchy,’ said team leader Laurent Richet MS, ‘it has a crustaceous feel; it’s clean with citrus notes but there’s a nice mineral, salty edge – great with shellfish.’

£16.20 Enotria&Coe

Jean-Marc Brocard, Chablis 1er Cru, Montmains 2017, Burgundy, France

Silver medal winner

Noelia Calleja of Hakkasan Hanway Place noted a nose of ‘green apple and intense citrus with intense flavours of lemon and lime’ and described ‘a nice flinty character and salty crackers over the long finish’.

£20.31 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Domaine Louis Michel, Chablis 1er Cru, Montée de Tonnerre 2015, Burgundy, France

Silver medal winner

‘The nose here is very complex,’ said team leader Carlos Ferreira, ‘aromatic citrus and stone fruits; the palate is very round and elegant with a clean finish. This is a lot of wine for the price.’

£25.80 Enotria&Coe

Domaine Louis Michel, Chablis 2017, Burgundy, France

Silver medal winner

Raphael Thierry of Street XO enjoyed the wine’s ‘elegant minerality’, going on to say: ‘There’s fresh lemon-lime and apple fruit, it’s medium bodied, textural and has a long refreshing finish.’

£16.40 Enotria&Coe

Domaine Laroche, Chablis Saint Martin 2018, Burgundy, France

Bronze medal winner

‘Wow! There’s a hint of truffle and blue cheese,’ enthused team leader Laurent Richet MS. ‘Nice minerality and an oily texture, all wrapped around Granny Smith apples with a lemon sherbet and crushed stone finish,’ he added.

£19.80 Liberty Wines

La Chablisienne, Chablis 1er Cru Fourneaux, Vignerons de Chablis 2012, Burgundy, France

Bronze medal winner

Team leader Lionel Periner noted: ‘There is a medium intense colour, the nose is open with ripe lemon and fresh straw; the palate is waxy, with a dry freshness and clean finish. Feels like a warm vintage.’

£19.55 Matthew Clark

Savary, Chablis Sélection Vieilles Vignes 2015, Burgundy, France

Bronze medal winner

‘There’s smoky notes of vanilla here,’ said Chiara Sieni of Bottles Group, ‘and a rich palate of some depth, a lovely nuttiness too. There’s also great balance, this is excellent.’

£15.62 Bancroft Wines

Domaine Passy le Clou, Chablis 2017, Burgundy, France

Bronze medal winner

‘The wine has pure aromas and taste,’ said team leader Laurent Richet MS, ‘it’s clean, vibrant and mineral with notes of clay and oyster; quite long and brilliant.’

£14.28 VINS DESCOMBE

J Moreau & Fils, Chablis Premier Cru Montmains 2016, Burgundy, France

Bronze medal winner

Rémi Cousin of Le Gavroche was impressed: ‘This is classic, great typicity, you absolutely know where you are; it’s dry and flinty with beautiful appley fruit, excellent.’

£28.69 Matthew Clark, Carlsberg UK

Alain Geoffroy, Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, Elevée en Fûts de Chêne, Chablis 2017, Burgundy, France

Bronze medal winner

Sylwester Piasecki of Zuma noted: ‘A bright nose with orange peel and lemon and a mineral scent; this is fleshy, with pronounced fruit and brisk acidity.’

£14.02 R D Wines

Domaine Testut, Chablis 1er Cru, Les Vaillons 2017, Chablis, France

Commended medal winner

£21.18 Top Selection

Domaine Testut, Chablis Vieilles Vignes 2017, Burgundy, France

Commended medal winner

£17.41 Top Selection

La Chablisienne, Petit Chablis, Vignerons de Chablis 2015, Burgundy, France

Commended medal winner

£12.59 Matthew Clark

La Chablisienne, Chablis, Les Sarments 2015, Burgundy, France

Commended medal winner

£15.03 Matthew Clark

Domaine Costal, Chablis 1er Cru, Montmains 2017, Burgundy, France

Commended medal winner

£22.28 Matthew Clark

Jean-Marc Brocard, Chablis Domaine Sainte Claire Organic 2018, Burgundy, France

Commended medal winner

Domaine Grand Roche, Chablis 2017, Burgundy, France

Commended medal winner

J Moreau & Fils, Chablis 2017, Burgundy, France

Commended medal winner

Domaine de Vauroux, Petit Chablis, Olivier Tricon 2017, Burgundy, France

Commended medal winner

£14.79 Enotria&Coe

Domaine de Vauroux, Vieilles Vignes, Chablis 2015, Burgundy, France

Commended medal winner

£16.97 Enotria&Coe

Domaine Louis Michel, Petit Chablis 2017, Burgundy, France

Commended medal winner

£15.81 Enotria&Coe

Domaine Louis Michel, Chablis Grand Cru, Les Grenouilles 2015, Burgundy, France

Commended medal winner

£51.06 Enotria&Coe

J Moreau & Fils, Chablis Premier Cru Mont de Milieu 2016, Burgundy, France

Commended medal winner

£30.33 Matthew Clark

Domaine Louis Michel, Chablis 1er Cru, Forêts 2015, Burgundy, France

Commended medal winner

£23.42 Enotria&Coe

Domaine Lupé-Cholet, Château de Viviers, Chablis 2015, Burgundy, France

Commended medal winner

£15.91 Enotria&Coe