A very good Chablis that paired beautifully with a creamy cheese fondue…
Name: Les Vénérables Vielles Vignes Chablis
Vintage: 2014
Producer: La Chablisienne
Region/Country: Bourgogne, France
Grape Varietal(s): Chardonnay
Alcohol Level: 12.6%
Consumed: At home on a frigid winter’s evening
Recommended By: Picked it off the shelf in the Vintages section of the LCBO
Cost: $27.95 CAD
Bottle Presentation: A simple, clean, and unpretentious label
Appearance: Clear, medium lemon
Nose: A clean, medium nose, with lemon, white peach, minerals, butter, and honey notes. We also detected some apricot as it warmed up.
Palate: Dry, with a medium-full body, high acidity, and intense flavours. Prominent notes included lemon, white grapefruit, minerals, butter, and honey.
Finish: A long, enduring finish comprised of lemons and minerals.
Overall Impressions: A very good Chablis from an outstanding producer. Even though this offering sits at the estate’s entry-level—they also produce several Premier Cru and Grand Cru wines—it represents exactly what you’d expect from the region. Balanced, intense, and long in the finish, we thoroughly enjoyed this Chablis with a creamy fondue made from some stellar Québec cheeses. We could also see this white pairing beautifully with seafood and cream-based dishes. At just under $28 CAD, it represents good value for the money.
Rating: 92/100
E-Wine rating: 4/5 – We’d purchase two bottles of this Chablis, one to drink now and the other to cellar for a couple of years.
Value: 3.5/5