WINE OF THE WEEK - 2018 DOMAINE ALAIN GEOFFROY PREMIER CRU BEAUROY CHABLIS
It’s time for another edition of Wine Wednesday, Wineitupanotch style!
If you’re a regular reader of the blog, you’ll know that every week on Wednesday, I look forward to foraging through the shelves of my local liquor store, on a treasure hunt to hopefully uncover a cool and formerly unfamiliar wine to share with you!
The special thing here is that if and when I find something good, it’s a wine that you too can actually purchase because it is readily available at the time of writing this blog post entry! I love this because all too often, you read a review about a great wine and then can’t actually find it, which can be so annoying. If you want to know more about why and how I do this, be sure to read this blog post where I outline my approach to my weekly Wine Wednesday picks.
This week, I went to the store on a mission to find a nice wine, something special but not crazy expensive, that we could enjoy with a lovely over-roasted chicken that my husband decided to prepare for dinner. I’ll confess that I already had Chardonnay on the mind before I left the house….but I wasn’t sure what region I would end up selecting from.
Read on to see what I picked. It was a good one!
Now I’d be remiss not to point out that I’m located in Ontario, Canada and I therefore buy my wines for the Wine of the Week feature from the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario).
However, the wines I pick are widely available in most major markets and online too, so if you like what you read, you can find the wine wherever you like to shop.
For the convenience of readers who are located in Ontario, I always provide the LCBO Product Number, and a direct link to the LCBO website, in my reviews.
And with that, let’s get into this week’s pick!
2018 Domaine Alain Geoffroy Premier Cru Beauroy Chablis
This week, I found a wonderful Chablis that is just perfect for this time of year. From a “Premier Cru” site in the Chablis region, this wine is a well priced, elegant gem. Read on to learn what you need to know about this wine.
What does this wine cost?
$40.95
Where does this wine come from?
This wine comes from Chablis, the northernmost wine sub-region within the larger, world renowned Burgundy region of France.
Sitting at the tip of Burgundy, Chablis is a relatively small region that is very well known for its unique expression of Chardonnay, which is the only grape that is permitted to be grown here.
Chablis itself can be a cold place, with mineral-rich soils and inhospitable conditions for grapes. It is said that this is what makes Chardonnay from Chablis so magical. There are many die hard Chablis fans in the world!
However, the truth is that not all Chablis is created equal. You must pick and choose carefully when it comes to wines from this region, to really get the best value for money and to match your own unique palate and preferences. Producer and location, along with vintage, are important considerations in picking good Chablis.
Who makes this wine?
Domaine Alain Geoffroy is a family owned and operated estate in the heart of the Chablis vineyard. The winery was first established around 1850 and today, owns 50 hectares of land.
Click here to learn more about Domaine Alain Geoffroy.
Why is this wine unique?
To keep it simple, there are two things that make this wine unique in my humble view.
Firstly, as I said above, Chablis is a unique expression of Chardonnay that most wine lovers know and have some level of appreciation for. Whether you think you like Chardonnay or not, drinking good Chablis is always worth your time!
Secondly, this wine is a “Premier Cru”, meaning it is made from grapes that are sourced from a specific vineyard within the Chablis area (Beauroy, to be specific!) that is considered to produce higher quality wines. Though not as good as “Grand Cru” wine which is generally thought to be the best of the best, Premier Cru is usually very well made and a significant step up from a regular generic Chablis.
It is also worth noting that in some expert’s view, 2018 was a very good vintage in Chablis. I don’t think this is necessarily a unanimous view, but definitely worth noting all the same. A good vintage usually equals yummy wines that also have the potential to age nicely for years to come.
A few Wine Geek “essential facts” about the wine (feel free to skip this if you don’t care about detailed wine-making information!):
Variety - 100% Chardonnay
Soil type - Kimmergidian
Vine age - 35 to 40 years
Vinification - in stainless steel vats
ABV - 13%
Residual Sugar - 3 g/L
My tasting notes:
A nice gold colour with flecks of green in the glass, this wine has a lovely floral nose with notes of tropical fruit. On the palate, the wine is round and soft, with a light but pleasing mineral edge. Redolent with citrus and tropical fruit notes, and a long finish, this wine will have you wondering where it all went as you happily finish the bottle with scarcely a notice! This is truly a lovely wine, gentle and sweet yet interesting and inspiring at the same time.
Aging potential:
This wine can easily be enjoyed right now but will also benefit from being cellared for 5-7 years.
Recommendations to Wineitupanotch:
Enjoy this wine with chicken, shellfish or white fish in a white sauce. Our roast chicken was enjoyed with a nice spicy peri-peri sauce and the wine held its own against the spice!
Wineitupanotch Wine Score: 91 points
This is a beautiful delicate wine that has a strong mineral backbone which shows impressive character. With a round and full mouthfeel, this wine is satisfying and pairs really well with a range of foods!
If you’re located in Ontario, and wish to purchase this wine, you can find it at the LCBO under Product #733501.
FINAL VERDICT:
I really enjoyed this wine and would recommend it to others without hesitation. It is a wonderful introduction to Chablis for those who are less familiar with the region, at a very reasonable price point. Enjoy this wine with or without food, it works either way!
If you’ve tried this wine already, or decide to pick it up and try it after reading this post, I’d love to hear from you and hear what you think of it! Please do drop me a line.
Until next time, wishing you love, light and of course - good wine! :)
Cheers!