2020 La Chablisienne Les Venerables Chablis 750 ml

When you’re looking for the very best Chablis for your money, with the density and concentration of a Premier Cru, seek out OLD VINES. Many village cuvées bear this out: Brocard’s VV de Sainte Claire, Raoul Gautherin’s VV, and today’s Vieilles Vignes Les Vénérables from La Chablisienne.

Chablis’ legendary grower syndicate NAILED 2020, which was one of Burgundy’s greatest vintages of all time: Wine Advocate rated it 97 points, calling it “a great success for Chablis” and “the finest Chablis vintage since 2017.” The 2020 Vieilles Vignes is a selection from vines all over the age of 50, and it boasts everything we expect from wines that come from Premier Cru sites like Montée de Tonnerre and Vaillons.

That’s not a comparison we make lightly. Produced by one of the oldest domaines in the region, grown on low-vigor vines plunged deep into mineral-rich Kimmeridgian soils, this bottle shows a sleek roundness and Meursault-like weight, all while still feeling lean and agile on the palate. It’s the kind of delicate balance that we associate with the finest Chablis.

Founded in 1923, La Chablisienne is one of the top cooperatives in all of France, one that Burgundy expert Jasper Morris MW called “one of the great successes of the wine cooperative movement.” It’s no wonder Demeine Estates, owner of Heitz Cellar and Stony Hill, recently snapped up exclusive rights to import them to the US. 

We recommend enjoying this beauty when you’ve splurged for a beautiful piece of sole. Old-vine Chablis like this deserves to be celebrated and savored, paired with an equally exquisite meal and allowed to engulf the senses—just like it did ours when we first tasted it.