Chablis Grand Cru – July 2023

For a vintage finishing in ‘3’ – i.e. 2023 – the vigneron(ne)s are very happy; quantity together with quality has been their mantra.

Given what was to follow in 2024, they are particularly thankful for the production volume of 2023. This was one of the largest recorded volumes, in places exceeding the volume produced in 2018. The authorised volumes were at a maximum – more in the case of grand crus – plus an additional ‘reserve’ (the VCI) to be used if times of need were to arrive – as they surely did in 2024.

I can confirm that practically every 2023 wine I tasted in the region – 65 domaines in my first wave of visits between January and February 2025 – was delicious. But I was usually left asking myself ‘But is this really Chablis?’ I typically felt that these were wines from planet chardonnay – compared to 2014s, 2017s, 2021s and even the 2024s in waiting, which clearly came from planet Chablis.

In my first week of visits, I found just 3 domaines where my eyes lit up as I tasted the wines.

It’s a vintage that showcases the grape variety more than ‘place.’ So, if you really want Chablis, you will need my list of ‘best addresses’ – in my January 2025 report …