Domaine Séguinot-Bordet 2007 Tasting Notes

Chablis Vieilles Vignes 2005
Chablis Premier Cru Fourchaume 2005

The life of a winemaker is hard, but occasionally Mother Nature deals him a winning hand, and in 2005 it was bonanza time. The weather was perfect at each stage of the growing season. The summer was warm and dry with little rain, but not so warm that the grapes were scorched and, by the harvest in September, they had achieved optimum ripeness with an excellent balance of natural sugar and acidity. Some have said that “anyone can make wine in a year like 2005”. This may be so, but in the expert hands of your winemaker, Jean-François Bordet, there was the potential to make superb wines and we believe he has demonstrated, once again, why he is emerging as an outstanding, up-and-coming young winemaker in this famous region.

Jean-François is a meticulous viticulteur and he strives to deliver the very best-quality grapes to his winery. Maturation and ageing then take place in, uniquely, horizontal cuves. He believes that keeping the maximum possible surface area of the wine in contact with its lees results in a richer, more complex product and who could argue? He is in no rush to bottle either, and his wines will spend up to nine months on their lees before clarification and bottling. The results are stunning!

Our exclusive Chablis Vieilles Vignes comes from vines which are more than 60 years old. A lower yield makes for concentrated flavours and a combination of powerful mellowness with tender vivacity. You can drink it with all kinds of fish dishes, but it is also a perfect mate for lamb, poultry, summer salads and mild cheeses. This vintage has the potential to be terrific for the next five years – so keep some back if you can resist the urge to drink it!

Our Premier Cru comes from the well-known Fourchaume vineyard. It is vinified from 40-year-old vines on the clay/limestone slopes to the right of your route as you approach Maligny from the south. The crispy, citrussy freshness makes it an ideal aperitif, a thirst-quencher on a hot summer’s day or a perfect accompaniment for smoked salmon with cucumber and a twist of lemon. Again, we could enjoy its evolution over the next 3-5 years or more, but we like it too much!