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What We Say 2005 Chablis Grand Cru 'Vaudésir'
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Today’s international selection is very exclusive and also an exceptional wine from one of the best vintages in recent years in Burgundy. Be sure to place your order early and if we sell out, we will have another exceptional Burgundy on deck through the remainder of the day.
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Mission Codename: Top Seven
Operative: Agent White
Objective: Visit the Chablis region for an exclusive Grand Cru
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Domaine des Malandes
Wine Subject: 2005 Chablis Grand Cru ‘Vaudésir’
Winemaker: Lynn Marchive & Guenole Bretteaudeau
Backgrounder: The Chablis region is located near Auxerre in the northernmost region of Burgundy and almost exclusive produces Terroir expressive Chardonnay, locally referred to Beaunois. Grape growing in the region began in the 12th century when Custercian monks from the Abbey Pontigny planted vines along the river Serein (translated to serene).
While there are about 40 Premier Cru climats in Chablis, the most expressive wines come from one of the seven Grand Cru vineyards, small plots of vines planted on the northern end of town along the river. Today’s selection is from the Vaudésir climat.
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – A glistening straw yellow with golden hues through its crystal clear core. Along the edges the color fades slightly to a pale golden yellow and when swirled slow thin legs descend to the wine below.
Smell – Medium in intensity with bright aromas of lemon and other citrus fruits with a lovely herbal spice component. Subtle white flowers and salinity/saltiness along with classic hazelnut components also emerge as this wine opens up.
Feel – This medium-bodied white has clean crisp and racy acidity and lively minerality that are balanced and offset over its characteristic lipidity.
Taste – Precise and focused flavors of lemon and quince with a touch of honey. This wine’s minerality and herbal spice components also make an appearance in the flavor profile.
Finish – Medium to long in length and super clean with the fruit and beeswax texture character fading and leaving behind its crisp acidity and minerality for several minutes.
Conclusion – The 2005 Domaine des Malandes Chablis Grand Cru ‘Vaudésir’ is a classic Chablis with delicious lemon citrus aromas and flavors that are enhanced by classic spice, honey and hazelnut components. As is typical in these wines, you’ll find elegance balance between its minerality, acidity and lipidity. Give this wine some time to fully open up and don’t serve it too cold as you’ll miss many of the subtle character and finesse of this lovely wine.
Mission Report:
Below is a recap of Agent White’s and Blush’s recent visit to Burgundy.
… East Central France …
The road from Dijon was gray and misty as we made our way west bound to Chablis. Instead of taking the main highway, we decided to take some of the side roads that pierce the many vineyards in the region. Passing through Montbard and then north bound to Tonnerre where we quickly stopped for a nature break and a coffee.
We were just a few miles from Chablis and down towards the river Serien you could see the Grand Cru climats below. This is Chardonnay country and each hamlet has its own distinct qualities and character. Its what makes Chablis among the most expressive of all white Burgundies.
These wines pair particularly well with seafood and lobster. Parking our little car and walking through and among the vineyards peaked my appetite and it wasn’t too long before we found a small cafe to enjoy some of the spoils of our journey with some exceptional local food.
Quite simply, this is the life. While you may not have been able to join us on the Holiday in Burgundy, today’s selection from Domaine des Malandes will at least give you a small bit of the flavor of the trip!
A votre sante!
Wine Spies Vineyard Check:
The approximate location of the Domaine des Malandes in Chablis and and winery be seen in this satellite photo..
What the Winery Says
Domaine des Malandes
About This Wine:
The Chablis from Domaine des Malandes express fruit or flower according to the vintage year. They rapidly reach after two or three years a period of transition , with aromas of honey and beeswax, which touches of vanilla or toast. Then after four or five years these fragrances give way to more persistent flavors of hazelnut, underwood and gamy nuances … but always with vivid freshness…
Our vines in the Grand cru Vaudésir occupy a surface of 0 ha 90 divided in 3 parcels. In average, they are 30 years old . The soil is very clayey in some places and the vines always look like they are “suffering”.
Harvesting can be done later because the rootstock 41B brings acidity, for a wine for ageing and the rootstock 3309 sufficient natural richness. Production varies of course; for the last 10 years, the average is of 43 hl/ha. Splendidly mineral on the nose. Just a touch of oak.
Rich and concentrated and vigorous on the palate. This has plenty of volume and lots of class and complexity.
Serve lightly chilled with delicate recipes of fish or lobster.
About The Winery
The « Domaine des Malandes » is a family estate, which has the privilege to associate the traditional experiences of wine with the best modern equipments. The result is high quality wines which obtain awards from a lot of competitions. The perfect care brought to the vinification and the various locations of our parcels contribute largely to the finesse of our wines. All our Chablis can be perfectly appreciated with any kind of sea food, appetizer, fish grilled or in a delicate sauce or white meat like pork or poultry.
I am a member of an old Chablis wine family, the Tremblays, and have run my own wine estate since 1972. These days I am in charge of the Domaine des Malandes, and work with the help of my wine maker, Guénolé Breteaudeau, a young oenologist who joined me in 2006. – Lyne
CLASSIC WINES: Both in vineyard and in cellar our approach is to respect the environment, with the aim of quality and tipicity in our wines. Our wines are appreciated for their freshness, their elegance and their minerality, which comes directly from the famous kimmeridgian sub-soil that is unique to the vineyards of Chablis.
THE VINES AND VINIFICATION: In the matter of wine-making, Domaine des Malandes’ main objective consists in leaving a maximum of possibilities to the soil to express itself. Chablis has the good fortune of possessing a unique type of soil called Kimmeridgian which confers to its wine its mineral and vivid tastes. Constantly during the vegetative period, the Domaine des Malandes’ team controls the vine’s foliage and fruit, and uses effectively the integrated pest management. So when harvest time arrives, the grapes reach optimal maturities and qualities. In the cellar, a lot of care is taken of vinification. Guénolé Breteaudeau’s interventions as a wine-maker do not mark the wines but on the contrary leave them a chance of asserting their own character.
THE REWARDS OF ENTHUSIASM: Domaine des Malandes sells 92 per cent of its production on the export market and is regularly recognised in national and international competitions.
