2023 Domaine Thomas Labille, Chablis, White Burgundy, France.
The steely, zippy and lighter framed Labille village Chablis is a bright and pure Chardonnay with loads of terroir character, electric acidity, vivid lemony tones and green apple fruit, wet stone and clove spice on the palate. This estate, formed in the late 1980s now has some 35 hectares in the Petit Chablis, Chablis and Chablis 1er Cru appellations with most being hillside parcels set on the classic limestone. As this pale gold and lime scented wine opens in the glass, you get more roundness from the barrel fermentation and extended lees aging with hints of peach, vanilla and hazelnut coming through here. Everything is well judged here and the 2023 shows a fine restraint and a lively nature, making it lovely with food, especially sea food, soft farm cheeses and poultry dishes.
The Thomas Labille winery, which was all new to me, crafts some delicious Chablis and Petit Chablis wines, and is known for their bottlings purity, mineral character, and vibrant crisp acidity. The estate, I understand, practices all sustainable and organic farming, focusing on wines that express the distinctive Chablis terroir, and particularly its chalky Kimmeridgian soil, resulting in a minerally, citrus-driven and, non overly oaky, barrel fermented efforts, like this one. For the Labille Chablis, the winery does a whole cluster press and a short settlement period before the wine is racked to barrel for spontaneous fermentation, after which the wine continues to mature in the used barrels for between 15 to 18 months with very little disruption of the lees, depending on the vintage. This wine, which is very appealing, has a bit of extra dimension when compared to the mainly tank raised village Chablis, makes it a compelling choice.
($30 Est.) 92 Points, grapelive