Vieilles Vignes des Minots Vaillons, Chablis Premier Cru, France

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Guffens’ 2006 Chablis Vaillons Vieilles Vignes des Minots was harvested early, from 70-year-old vines, and was vinified and initially aged in previously-used barriques, then transferred to tank after eight months to – as he put it – “keep minerality,” and bottled in October. Smoky and citrus zest pungency accent a nose of ripe peach, pear, blueberry, high-toned herbal essences, and fresh lime. A plush, rich, lees-enriched texture does not preclude juicy brightness and – as advertised – retention of mineral dimension in the form of chalk, wet stone, and savory shellfish stock sweetness. This winsome wine should gain further stature in bottle and be worth following for at least 5-7 years. Jean-Marie Guffens has gone back to vinifying Chablis at his facility in the Macon, immediately after pressing in Chablis (a residency required for appellation controlee) and a highly selective separation of the juice. Guffens was quite bullish on the 2006 vintage – although he characterizes it as “exotic” rather than “classic” – and could afford to be, after having sat out 2005, and given the early harvest in 2006. (It’s always harder, he points out, to get growers to collaborate in a vintage that demands risky restraint and late picking, as did 2007, when Guffens purchased fruit from only a single supplier and cru.) Even given early picking to retain acidity, says Guffens, the freshness and length that characterize the best of them would not have been possible save for two factors. Most important were the relatively low pH levels that characterized the 2006 fruit. But secondly, the levels of total acidity actually rose during fermentation (presumably a function of the production of succinic acid as a fermentative by-product, a phenomenon in many ripe Riesling vintages as well).Importer: A Peter Vezan Selection (various importers), Paris; fax 011 33 1 42 55 42 93

New oak spices and minerals are found in the aromatics of the medium-bodied 2004 Chablis Vaillons Vieilles Vignes des Minots. Medium-bodied and bright, its bold flavors reveal notes reminiscent of milk-laden candied lemons. Pure, creamy-textured, and long in the finish, this is a candidate for drinking over the next 4 years. Jean-Marie Guffens, who has been strongly criticized by his importers and distributors for the frank comments of his I’ve quoted in The Wine Advocate, is much more circumspect than he once was. His view of the hierarchy of Burgundy’s white wine regions in 2004 coincides with my findings, “Chablis did best because it had 15 extra days before harvest, then the Maconnais, and lastly the Cote d’Or where yields figures were in the stratosphere...2004 started terribly, except for a hugely successful flowering, then July and August were as bad as anything I’ve seen – huge rains. We were unquestionably saved by the nice weather we had in September and through October 10.” To Guffens, “The latest harvested hillside vineyards produced the finest wines.” He reported declassifying numerous batches of grapes from the water-logged flats, and having to do enormous sorting out of grapes affected by rot. Moreover, alcoholic (until March, 2006) and malo-lactic fermentations dragged on for months on end.When asked his personal thoughts on the 2004s, Guffens said, “I adore drinking this vintage,” then he screamed “Drink it!” at the top of his lungs. The following notes are in the order the wines were served, as always, and reflect Guffens’s belief that the Cote d’Or fared worse in 2004 while the Chablisien performed best.A Peter Vezan Selection, Paris fax #011-33-1-42-55-42-93; importers include North Berkeley Imports, Berkeley, CA; tel. (800) 266-6585; also a Patrick Lesec Selection, Paris Fax #: 011-33-4-66-37-67-23, various American importers including Bacchus Importers; tel. (800) 525-9699