2022 Domaine de La Mandeliere Chablis 750 ml

On November 15th, 2019, Charly Nicolle was cemented as Chablis’ next rising star. Declared the Best Young Talent in the region by Le Groupe des Jeunes Professionnels de la Vigne, his namesake wines have been very tough to come by ever since.

But Charly doesn’t just make coveted wines under his own label. He’s recently taken the reins at his family’s historic Domaine de la Mandelière—and the results have been spectacular. 

Charly’s family has been making wine in Chablis since the 19th century, and he knew from an early age that he wanted to follow his father and grandfather in the family business. 

He started his eponymous domaine with land his grandfather owned and farmed, making a name for himself with thoughtful winemaking that balances seriousness with exceptional drinkability. At Mandelière, he’s implemented many of the same protocols that made him such a star under his own label.

One of those techniques is using native ferments to create a pied de cuve—basically a starter—that builds complexity while limiting risk from wild yeasts. He utilizes a mixture of barrels and stainless steel tanks, and insists upon keeping a variety of tanks around: shorter, wider ones for lots that need more lees contact for texture, taller, narrower ones for when preserving brightness is key.

You cannot go wrong stockpiling 2022s from Chablis, a hot season that nevertheless has great acidity, thanks to some well-timed, refreshing August rain. Decanter, a leading authority on European wine, rated the vintage 4.5/5 stars, calling it “a very fine vintage for Chablis that combines the freshness of 2017/2021 with the warmth and ripeness of 2019/2020.” That’s especially true here.