Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir 2021, Louis Michel

Grand Cru Vaudésir is truly one of the profound white wines of Burgundy, and yet it costs the same as a simple ‘village’ Meursault. Louis Michel’s vines are in the lower part of the Grand Cru vineyard, and therefore yield fabulous ‘puissance’, richness and concentration, underpinned by the region’s hallmark dryness. There are hints of buttered brioche and gorse flower, alongside rhubarb and acacia flower. Remember, this is fermented and aged exclusively in stainless steel, so these flavours come entirely from the site, the fruit and the fermentation – no ‘artificial flavour’ from oak barrels. It demands keeping at least a couple of years, and will age gracefully for a decade or longer.