Domaine Garnier & Fils, 'Chablis', 2023, Chablis (AOC)

'One-Liner'
Proper, characterful Chablis – lemon, orchard fruit and white flowers with chalky minerality, saline freshness and a beautifully long finish.

Tasting Note
Pale straw in the glass, with an aromatic nose of honeysuckle, lemon and lime joined by yellow apple, pear and a distinctly mineral, oyster-shell character. The palate is fresh and expressive, with ripe citrus and orchard fruit carried by bright acidity and a subtle creamy roundness. Notes of chalk, saline minerality and a gentle touch of fresh bread add complexity as the wine opens. There is plenty of substance here, but the freshness keeps everything precise and unmistakably Chablis. Long and mouth-watering on the finish, with citrus, pear and a cool mineral edge lingering behind.

Country: France
Region: Burgundy
Sub-Region: Chablis AOC
Grape(s): 100% Chardonnay
ABV: 12.5%
Friendly: n/a

Awards & Critics' Scores
n/a

The Story
Domaine Garnier & Fils is run by brothers Xavier and Jérôme Garnier from Ligny-le-Châtel, just north of Chablis. Their village Chablis brings together fruit from Maligny, Ligny and Villy, each parcel contributing a slightly different expression of the region’s limestone-rich soils. The domaine favours a notably hands-off approach in the cellar, using indigenous yeasts and allowing fermentation to proceed slowly rather than forcing the wine into shape. For the 2023, the wine undergoes full malolactic fermentation and remains in contact with its fine lees, building a little extra breadth around the citrus, orchard fruit and saline mineral character. It is a wonderfully honest introduction to the Garnier style – generous enough to have real presence, but still driven by the freshness and stony precision that make Chablis so distinctive.

Perfect With... (click me for the recipe)
- Meat/fish: Grilled sardines with lemon and parsley
- Vegetarian: Asparagus, goat’s cheese and herb tart
- Vegan: Butter bean, fennel and lemon traybake with herbs