A good portion of Sebastien’s stable of Chablis ‘Vieilles Vignes’ vineyards face the 1er Cru Forchaume and are about 60 years old. The soil in this particular spot is unusually brittle Kimmeridgian marl that is friable, coarse and sharp compared to most in Chablis. A close look at the soil under a magnifying glass reveals a composition of almost pure decomposed fossilized miniature oyster shells and not much else. The numerous plots for this wine come from various altitudes and expositions from west to north on the calcium rich clay right bank of the Serein. This brings multidimensional mineral-rich characteristics with depth and more roundness and weight compared to those from other side of the river.

The 2021 Chablis ‘Vieilles Vignes’ is a wine produced from 60 year old vines planted by Sebastien Christophe’s grandfather in the commune of Fontenay-près-Chablis. It has more depth and concentration than the regular Chablis and finishes with lovely precision. 2021 did not make much wine but what was produced is classic Chablis – tense, incisive and mouth-watering all at once.