Founded in 1923, La Chablisienne is one of the top cooperatives in all of France, one that Burgundy expert Jasper Morris MW called “one of the great successes of the wine cooperative movement.” It’s no wonder Demeine Estates, owner of Heitz Cellar and Stony Hill, recently snapped up exclusive rights to import them to the US. Their CEO, the dynamic Master Somm Carlton McCoy, knows a classic when he sees one.

What distinguishes La Chablisienne is their meticulous control over every aspect of winemaking, from vineyard management to bottling, despite being a cooperative. Their member-growers, who collectively own many of Chablis' finest vineyard sites, maintain exceptionally high standards in viticulture while benefiting from the cooperative's state-of-the-art winemaking facilities.

They've developed a house style that emphasizes precision, minerality, and purity of fruit while respecting the individual character of each vineyard—and that comes into play here. The fruit is harvested from vines that average 30 years old before fermenting in stainless steel under precise temperature control. The wine is allowed to go through malolactic fermentation—essential to keep the wine from becoming too bracing—and then aged for a full six months on its fine lees before bottling.

You cannot go wrong stockpiling 2022s from across Chablis. It was a hot season that nevertheless has great acidity, thanks to some well-timed, refreshing August rain. Decanter, a leading authority on European wine, rated the vintage 4.5/5 stars, calling it “a very fine vintage for Chablis that combines the freshness of 2017/2021 with the warmth and ripeness of 2019/2020.” That’s especially true here.

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