Thomas Labille – Chablis 1er Cru Vosgros – 2019

PRODUCER NOTE:
Thomas Labille is an accomplished winemaker based in the heart of Chablis, where he creates eponymous cuvées bearing all the hallmarks of top-quality Chablis. The domaine was founded in 1987 and at that time covered just 11 hectares of vine and 80 hectares of cereal. By 1992, the estate had abandoned cereal production and focussed on producing quality wine. Significant investments took place in the winery and the estate flourished, producing award-winning wines. In 2019, Thomas Labille took over the reins, with his natural flair for winemaking and following a philosophy for sustainable viticulture, his cuvées are expressive, beautifully balanced and show wonderful Chablis typicity. The estate is HVE certified.

VINTAGE:
2019 was an incredible vintage, which stands out for its generosity, beautiful balance and wonderful character. A mild winter was followed by a chilly spring, with frosts affecting some vineyards in April, with temperatures of -5°C. Summer was warm and the vines reached good maturity. 2019 was a low-yielding vintage with excellent ageing potential that will mature gracefully over time.

VINEYARD:
The Chardonnay vines are planted on hillside plots in the 1er Cru appellation of Vogros, which lies to the south of the village of Chablis on the left bank of the River Serein. With a south-easterly orientation, the plot benefits greatly from good exposure to the sun and its amphitheatre shape protects it from the winds. The vineyard is situated upon a Kimmeridgian clay-limestone subsoil, imparting elegance and characteristic minerality. The continental climate, with cold winters allowing the vine to rest and the sap to descend and warm summers, encouraging the grapes to ripen. The vines are trained according to traditional methods and are sustainably farmed; the estate is certified HVE, which officially recognises the environmental performance of winegrowers, including biodiversity conservation, plant protection strategies, managed fertiliser use and water resource management.

WINEMAKING:
The grapes were carefully selected to ensure only the highest quality fruit was vinified. Fermentation took place in temperature controlled stainless steel vats, with selected yeasts. Once fermentation was complete, the wine was matured on its fine lees for 15 to 18 months in temperature-controlled vats, with a subtle touch of oak, from less than 5%, matured in French oak barrels. The wine was gently fined and filtered prior to bottling.

TASTING NOTE:
A textured and elegant 1er Cru Chablis, with floral and herbaceous aromas and a rich palate defined by layers of pear, peach and distinctive Chablis minerality.

GRAPE:
Chardonnay 100%.

COUNTRY:
France

REGION:
Burgundy

SUB-REGION:
Chablis