2023 Lamblin et Fils Vaillon Chablis Premier Cru 750 ml

Vaillon (also known as “Vaillons”) is one of the top Premier Cru sites in Chablis—Burgundy expert Rajat Parr calls it the “most important” Left Bank Chablis Cru—with exceptionally stony soils and perfect exposition. That combination not only allows Vaillons wines to retain healthy acidity and profound minerality, but adds a certain Grand Cru–style richness to the classic rocks and seashell stoniness.

When you put that terroir in the hands of an overdelivering producer like Lamblin et Fils in a warm vintage with an easy, generous harvest, you get a towering bottle of Premier Cru Chablis. Showing beautifully textured green apple fruit laced with limestone, complexity to spare, and a finish that stretches into the horizon, Lamblin’s 2023 Vaillon Premier Cru is one of the best Burgundy buys out there.

For 300 years and 12 generations, Didier Lamblin’s family has dedicated itself to winegrowing in Chablis and its surrounding areas. Based in the little hamlet of Maligny (population 800), Lamblin’s holdings include parcels in the famed Grand Crus of Les Clos and Vaudésir—as well as the ür-Premier Cru, Vaillons.

The vineyard’s story is written in Kimmeridgian limestone—the same ancient seabed that gives Chablis its distinctive mineral character. This geological foundation was laid down 150 million years ago when tiny marine creatures fell to the ocean floor, creating the fossilized oyster shells that define Chablis' terroir. 

Vaillons occupies 104 hectares of prime mid-slope real estate, and 2023 was a beautifully warm, easy vintage: Decanter awarded the year four stars, noting: “The best results are in line with recent sunny vintages (such as 2018–2020 and 2022), with ripe orchard and stone fruit, a lush texture, balanced acidity and plenty of extract.”