Description

ABOUT THE PRODUCER:
Saint Bris le Vineux is a small village in the north-western part of Burgundy located 16 km from Chablis and eight kilometres from Auxerre. Although Chardonnay is renowned as the main white grape variety grown in Burgundy, uniquely St Bris is the only village in Burgundy where elegant and floral Sauvignon Blanc wines are produced. It is here, in Saint Bris Le Vineux, that in 1987 owner and winemaker Erick Lavallée established Domaine Grand Roche. In 2021, Eric passed over the family estate to his daughter Caroline and son, Clément. The property comprises 14.5 hectares of vineyard, spread between Chablis and Auxerre and a small quantity of Saint Bris. They produce clean and fresh Chablis, blended from different parcels on the private estate for complexity and balance.

ABOUT THE VINEYARD:
Chablis is internationally renowned for the combination of the Chardonnay grape and the Kimmeridgian soils in which they are cultivated. These estate vineyards are no exception, the limestone soils impart ‘mineral’ characteristics, elegance and finesse to the resulting wine. The vineyard is managed according to sustainable growing practices, which are observed and supported at each stage of the vine’s growth. These techniques limit the risk of pollution and allow for the preservation of the soil and terroir. The vineyard is sustainably cultivated and highly respects biodiversity conservation, plant protection strategies, managed fertiliser use and water resource management.

THE WINEMAKING PROCESS:
The grapes were destemmed and gently pressed in a pneumatic press, which delicately extracted the juice without the herbaceous aromas of the stalks. After settling, fermentation started spontaneously with indigenous yeasts taking place in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperatures of 16 to 18°C. These techniques guarantee the typical expression of the terroir and natural aromas of the Chardonnay variety. Following racking, the wine was rested on its fine lees for a minimum of six months prior to being pink-earth filtered and bottled.

OUR TASTING NOTE:
Fresh, bright aromas of citrus fruit and floral notes are elegantly enveloped in subtle, smoky mineral notes. Crisp, with refreshing, vibrant white fruits complemented by a hint of butter, good structure through to a dry, mouthwatering finish.

GRAPE VARIETY:
Chardonnay 100%.