Domaine Guy Robin et Fils Cuvée Marie-Ange Vieilles Vignes Chablis 2023

Ah Chablis. . . the historic, beating heart of French Chardonnay. The vineyards in this land of undulating hills, just northwest of Burgundy proper, comprise an ancient seabed soil known as Kimmeridge clay. These chalky, white strata continue north through Champagne and under the English Channel. Their most striking iterations are the luminous White Cliffs of Dover, which have long been a landmark for sailors. In the vineyards of Chablis, one can often find prehistoric fossils of oyster shells and trilobites- and it is this organic matter that local winemakers believe gives their Chardonnays a flinty minerality. In addition, the cool climate of this northerly growing region allows the fruit to retain its zesty acidity, which results in white wine that can age beautifully for years. Stylistically, winemakers in Chablis tend to highlight these gorgeous flavor characteristics and use less oak than their counterparts in the Côte d’Or. Due to global demand, the great wines of Chablis can easily set you back a few hundred dollars. But they don’t have to! We love Chablis so much at ACME that we’ve done a little R&D (aka some pretty killer importer tastings) and found a new wine from an across-the-pond, under-the-radar producer at an unbeatable price!

A few years back, Marie-Ange Robin had a choice. Stay in Paris and pursue a successful career as a fine art dealer or return home to Chablis and take the reins of the family winery, Domaine Guy Robin et Fils. Her decision would change her family’s fortunes and preserve a critical piece of Chablis history. Because her father Guy refused to tear up vines, some 80% of the family’s Premier Cru vineyards are “vieilles vignes”, or older vines. These low-yielding plants deliver richly aromatic Chardonnay, reflecting Chablis’ historic terroir like a mirror.

Her 2023 Cuvée Marie-Ange is 100% Chardonnay made from estate vines at the top of a slope, facing the premier cru vineyard ‘Vaillons’ on the left bank of the Serein river. The fruit was hand-harvested and pressed right away, with the juice held in tank for 24 hours to settle naturally. Fermented on indigenous yeasts in French oak barrels (10% of which were new) and aged just under one year. Aromas of sauteed lemons, crushed oyster shells, lime curd, and incense. This wine is energetic and refined; indeed, an exquisite expression of Chablis!