2011 Chablis Fourchaume
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Tasting notes
While his diversely sourced generic Chablis – its mineral element primarily alkaline – struck me as a bit awkwardly bitter and lactic, Vrignaud’s 2011 Chablis Fourchaume – from vines just 5-7 years in age – adds more attractive and intriguing marine minerality, and embeds its bitterness into a broadly fruity context of apple, kumquat and mirabelle. Its finish is sustained and alkaline, if only modestly refreshing or juicy. I would plan to enjoy this offering by 2016. I tasted only three of Guillaume Vrignaud’s roughly half dozen bottlings – and then as samples stateside – but this young organic grower who vinifies entirely in tank is clearly worth following. (The suggested retail prices submitted by Vrignaud’s importers seemed out of line both with prevailing ratios of price to classification and with what offerings I was able to locate in the market, so I have at least dialed them back slightly.) Importer: Serge Dore Selections, Ltd., Chappaqua, NY; tel. (914) 861-9206
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
David Schildknecht, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
In 2011 Vrignaud made three different wines from Fourchaume, the first of which is the straight 2011 Chablis Fourchaume, an attractive and immediate wine with good intensity and fine overall balance. It won't set the world on fire, but then again, following the 2010 is no easy task. Some slightly angular edges remain, but not enough to detract from the wine's overall balance.