Domaine F. Bachelier Réserve du Sanglier Chablis 2013

The 2013 F. Bachelier Réserve du Sanglier Chablis pays tribute to the reputation of Chablis and the appellation’s renowned terroir. Redolent with the soft scents of apple blossoms and springtime tempered by a light salty sea breeze, the 2013 F. Bachelier Réserve du Sanglier Chablis begins to seduce the nose from the minute it is poured. And unlike many New World Chardonnays in which the preponderance of oak tries to smother the fruit and obliterate the distinctive characteristics imparted by soil and climate, F. Bachelier’s Chablis captures Chablis’ pure fruit flavors, flint like tones, and long dry finish with aplomb. Medium-bodied, yet complex and mouth filling, F. Bachelier’s Réserve du Sanglier embodies not only the essence of Chablis, it portrays the versatility of Chardonnay and the grape’s distinct ability to reflect its terroir better than any other grape variety. Although complex and inviting, the 2013 F. Bachelier Réserve du Sanglier also possesses the ability to slip ever so easily down the thirsty throat, so consider this forewarning. For optimal enjoyment, we suggest offering this 2013 Chablis from F. Bachelier a moderate chill (37°-40°F) before allowing it to unfold a few minutes in the glass. Like a fine young red wine, authentic Chablis also benefits from a bit of aeration. Enjoy!

Given that the wines of Chablis are grown in Kimmeridgian soil from atop an ancient sea bed, it should come as no surprise that the fruits of the sea provide a vast array of gastronomic delights to pair with F. Bachelier’s 2013 Réserve du Sanglier Chablis. Shellfish in particular earns high marks with this Chablis. Steamed lobster and King crab legs served with drawn butter also make for especially tasty pairings. Raw, steamed or sautéed oysters, clams, and mussels provide equally impressive accompaniments. However, pan seared scallops with almond and mushroom duxelle earn high praise, too, as does salmon prepared just about any way you can imagine. Caviar offers yet another impressive marriage. However, as exquisite as seafood can be, the wonders of the sea don’t constitute the only suitable partners for this wine. Chicken and simply prepared game birds served in light creamy sauces as well as many cow’s milk cheeses offer splendid accompaniments to the 2013 F. Bachelier Réserve du Sanglier Chablis, too. Brie, Camembert, and other crusted cheeses offer more tasty alternatives. Salut!

Domaine F. Bachelier possesses outstanding vineyards that lie in the very heart of Chablis among the gently sloping hills of Maligny. It is a small estate where the Savary/Bachelier family makes classic un-oaked Chablis that aptly reflects the traditional style of the Chablis appellation as well as the distinct terroir of Maligny. Ideally, this means bright, shimmering Chablis with a greenish gold robe that offers an ethereal fragrance, a mouthful of racy fruit with flinty highlights, and a long crisp finish. Yet, in unusually warm vintages, the wines of Domaine F. Bachelier can also take on fleshy, corpulent characteristics that can best be described as plush and velvety, not to mention hedonistically delightful. But no matter the gifts or vagaries of the vintage, all of Domaine F. Bachelier’s wines are fermented and aged in stainless steel and bottled in the late spring after the vintage in order to preserve the greatest amount of freshness and pleasure a glass of Chablis can provide.

In addition to producing excellent appellation Chablis, Domaine F. Bachelier fashions tiny amounts of exquisite Premier Cru Chablis from the renowned vineyards of Fourchaume and Vaillons. All of the domaine’s wines emanate from the unique chalky limestone-rich Kimmeridgian soil that has made French Chablis, the only authentic Chablis, world-renowned.

Chablis is a distinct part of Burgundy as well as one of the world’s finest white wines. Since the 12th century when Cistercian monks introduced Chardonnay into the region, the name Chablis has been synonymous with outstanding white wine. No wonder then so many generations of California producers tacked the name Chablis onto their inferior generic wares, hoping to elevate their wines in the eyes of consumers.

Today, all authentic Chablis is derived exclusively from Chardonnay grapes that are grown in Chablis’ chalky, limestone rich soil known as Kimmeridgian. The name Kimmeridgian is in reference to an identical landmass that scientists identified in England’s Kimmeridge Bay. Chablis possesses one of the world’s greatest terroirs for the cultivation of white grapes; the appellation (A.O.C.) sits upon what was once the floor of an ancient sea bed dating from the Second Jurassic Period (also known as Kimmeridgian) that now feeds the region’s Chardonnay vines. Because of this special terroir, Chablis yields unique, dry, mineral-rich wines of considerable finesse and flavor.

The French National Institute of Appellation d’Origine Controlée (A.O.C.) recognizes four distinct areas of Chablis: Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis Premier Cru, and Chablis Grand Cru. All offer the taster a special experience. However, in recent years it is the Chablis appellation itself that has come to fore, producing some of the region’s finest quality and value. In total, all four districts of Chablis cover just 7,000 hectares (15,400 acres). The best parcels typically occupy the region’s hillsides, making such choice parcels in Chablis and the surrounding Premier Cru and Grand Cru vineyards the most apt to produce the region’s finest, most complex wines.