Tasted with Camille Schaller in Prehy, 13 Januray 2021.
Domaine Camille & Laurent Schaller
20 Grande Rue de Chablis
89800 Préhy
Tel: +33 3 86 41 41 88
www.chablis-schaller.com
The grandparents of Camille Schaller came to Prehy in 1955 – a mix of Belgian and Alsaciene – they had a farm in the area of Normandy that mainly produced cereal. Here in Prehy, there was a possibility to acquire more land, so they made the move. They continued with cereal, but part of their land was also within the AOC of Chablis and eventually, they decided that it was time to plant some vines. Their first plantations were done in the 1970s and the production went to the Chablisienne. Camille’s father, Laurent, and his uncles were still also producing cereal when Camille joined in 2009. Laurent has since retired.
Bottling their own production began in 2014. Today the domaine extends to over 18 hectares of vines, including a Bourgogne – toward St.Cyr and in the commune of Prehy – which will be commercialized for the first time in 2020.
The production here is around 30,000 bottles, of which roughly 70% are exported. The prices from the domaine a very reasonable, ranging from €8.50 to €15.50 for the 2019s – I like the labels too! They also did some ‘contract’ wines in 2018 with a little grand cru and some Irancy.
With the exception of one (too) steep slope of 1er Cru, all the domaine’s vines are machine harvested and the main part of the fermentation is with chosen yeasts. In the vines, they are HVE 3 certified since 2020.
Camille on 2019:
“Since 2017 the vintages have been easy in the vines – though the 2018s took a long time to ferment. We protected our 1er cru from frost in 2019 and that turned out well as we had a good yield in the end, around 55 hl/ha. I’m very happy with the quality too – the village here are generally quite early harvesting and we are happy to be part of that to keep the best Chablis tension.”
The wines…
Wines of airy delicacy here – less so the 1ers which were a little more forthright. But so fine and delicious, it’s also one of those domaines with a decent level of salinity in the wines. Highly recommended.
2019 Petit Chablis
From Prehy, 3 ha – these are lower vines towards Chablis near the cereal plantations. They have some in another villages too but they are never blended. Bottled April, a second bottling was done in August.
A pretty and precise depth of citrus aroma – inviting. Wide and mineral – lovely, modest, energy with a suggestion of salinity. Absolutely correct, very tasty – particularly in the great finish- yum!
2019 Chablis
A blend of Prehy and Courgis vines with similar exposures. Bottled end of July, the largest cuvée of the domaine.
A little wider and a more vibrant nose. Wide in the mouth too; a softness but no lack of mouth-watering flavour – airy, quite floral-infused. The flowers are quite forward in the finish with a little touch of salinity. Airy but very delicious wine.
2019 Chablis 1er Vau de Vey
The third vintage since it was acquired in 2017. ‘Three sunny vintages but this is a little west-facing so tends to keep its freshness’ says Camille. Like the previous wines, mechanical harvest but here with about 20% barrel elevage and keeping a little more of the lees.
A deeper nose, a little rounder but nothing that says directly ‘barrel’ – it’s nice. Extra saline – wide, growing rounder – absolutely beautifully textured. Floral again, lovely width – airy again and absolutely delicious – that’s excellent wine!
2019 Chablis 1er Vaucoupin
Very steep here so it’s a manual harvest – made here since 2016 and with a sunnier exposure than the last.
Higher tones in evidence – a citrus mix, mainly yellow fruit. The concentration is more overt in this wine – wider, a little richer but still with a beautiful mouth-watering balance. Holding a lovely finish again – narrower but very long. Another excellent wine with the merest suggestion of tannin on the tip of the tongue.
2019 Chablis Vieilles-Vignes
Here with oak elevage. 44 years old and the oldest vines of the domaine – a different barrel-type to the 1ers – all the rest of the elevage is the same as for the Chablis.
The oak is, pleasingly, only an accent – a long way from dominant. Nice shape in the mouth – a little tannic texture framing the flavours but there’s a proper minerality and nice understated energy in the middle – it’s a proper Chablis. Very good and like all these with a finish that is very attractive and almost surprises with its persistence.
To finish:
2018 Irancy
Didn’t make this in 2019 as the Bourgogne Pinot Noir is soon on its way – 2020 – this a contract. 100% pinot.
A round nose that suggests some barrel – but it’s an all tank elevage! Nice shape in the mouth – a small tannin grows but stays well in control – otherwise this is quite silky. The finish has some modest bitters – I’d wait about another year, but this is a nicely shaped and very tasty wine.