Jean Collet Chardonnay, Vaillons 1er Cru, Chablis, Burgundy, France 2023
Jean Collet founded this domaine in 1954, heir to a family that has grown grapes in Chablis since 1792. His son Gilles ran it with characteristic flair for decades before handing the reins to his own son, Romain, in the mid-2000s. At just twenty-one, Romain brought native-yeast fermentations and organic (with biodynamic trials) farming into a domaine built on some of Chablis's oldest vines — now averaging half a century old. Each cru is vinified and aged according to its own character: leaner, more mineral sites stay in steel, while richer, clay-influenced parcels see time in neutral oak, giving the range a fuller, more Côte d'Or-leaning register than Chablis's reputation for austerity might suggest.
- Winemaker: Romain Collet
- Farming: Certified organic (since 2018)
- Variety: 100% Chardonnay
- Terroir: 'Vaillons' 1er Cru, Chablis, Burgundy, France. Left bank of the Serein, 15 organic-certified plots planted from 1972, mostly within the Châtains and Mélinots lieux-dits, on a medium-steep east/southeast-facing slope at 160–240m; Kimmeridgian limestone marl bedrock under shallow, rocky brown clay topsoil.
- Vinification: Native-yeast fermentation, 95% stainless steel and 5% oak; first sulfur addition to the must; full malolactic fermentation.
- Aging: 14 months in equal parts old 228L French oak, a 20-year-old 85hl foudre, and steel tank; light fining and filtration.
- Tasting Notes: Yellow plum, lemon rind, and light crushed stone; well-balanced with a soft tropical entry.
- Food Pairings: Roast poultry, soft cheeses, or shellfish in cream sauce.
Jean Collet Chardonnay, Vaillons 1er Cru, Chablis, Burgundy, France 2023
Jean Collet founded this domaine in 1954, heir to a family that has grown grapes in Chablis since 1792. His son Gilles ran it with characteristic flair for decades before handing the reins to his own son, Romain, in the mid-2000s. At just twenty-one, Romain brought native-yeast fermentations and organic (with biodynamic trials) farming into a domaine built on some of Chablis's oldest vines — now averaging half a century old. Each cru is vinified and aged according to its own character: leaner, more mineral sites stay in steel, while richer, clay-influenced parcels see time in neutral oak, giving the range a fuller, more Côte d'Or-leaning register than Chablis's reputation for austerity might suggest.
- Winemaker: Romain Collet
- Farming: Certified organic (since 2018)
- Variety: 100% Chardonnay
- Terroir: 'Vaillons' 1er Cru, Chablis, Burgundy, France. Left bank of the Serein, 15 organic-certified plots planted from 1972, mostly within the Châtains and Mélinots lieux-dits, on a medium-steep east/southeast-facing slope at 160–240m; Kimmeridgian limestone marl bedrock under shallow, rocky brown clay topsoil.
- Vinification: Native-yeast fermentation, 95% stainless steel and 5% oak; first sulfur addition to the must; full malolactic fermentation.
- Aging: 14 months in equal parts old 228L French oak, a 20-year-old 85hl foudre, and steel tank; light fining and filtration.
- Tasting Notes: Yellow plum, lemon rind, and light crushed stone; well-balanced with a soft tropical entry.
- Food Pairings: Roast poultry, soft cheeses, or shellfish in cream sauce.