Top scoring Grand Cru Chablis 2019

All the producers I spoke to believe 2019 is, at the very least, a very fine vintage, with the quality and character showcased particularly well by the Grand Cru wines.

Scroll down for the top scoring Grand Cru Chablis 2019 tasting notes and scores

Guillaume Michel of Domaine Louis Michel said ‘2019 has all the hallmarks of a great year’ – a view supported by Jean-François Bordet at Domaine Seguinot-Bordet.

Benoit Droîn believes ‘2019 is a classic vintage despite the adverse effects of the sun’, adding that it is a ‘homogenous year across different sites where low yields have resulted in good acidity and great concentration’.

See the Chablis 2019 full vintage report and top scoring wines

Anne Moreau, of Domaine Louis Moreau, says ‘2019 is quite classic for Chablis, closer to 2017 than 2018. It has unmistakeable Chablis acidity’.

While Grand Cru Chablis 2019 will need a bit longer than others to come round (some Villages and Petit Chablis already offer great drinking pleasure), there is undoubted potential for some spectacular bottles.

Best climats

A number of producers noted the success of the cooler sites, with Droin describing Valmur and Les Clos as ‘cold terroirs which are magnificent’.

Seguier saw even more concentration at Fevre’s unique Côte de Bouguerots, a sub-section of Bougros with thin soils and vertiginous slopes up to 52%.

I also found a lot of interest in the east-facing Blanchot Grand Cru – this climat is often overlooked, but in hot years is capable of achieving great results.

Value

It’s impossible to taste the Grand Cru Chablis 2019 – with all their power and ageing potential – without also considering the great value they offer.

Prices for Burgundy continue to increase, with Grand and Premier Cru wines reaching eye-watering levels.

For a similar price to Premier Cru Puligny and Meursault, consumers can choose from a wide selection of the best Grand Cru Chablis. 

If 2019 offered consistent quality across all Chablis, the vintage also accentuated the difference between tiers and the expressiveness of each climat.

This, alongside the relative good value of the top wines, makes the case for customers to focus on the Grand Cru bottles, even if some of them will require a bit of time to come into their own. 

Drinking windows

In terms of drinking windows, 2019 Chablis will be approachable when young, but has the concentration and acidity to age well, particularly at Premier and Grand Cru level.

Of recent vintages, 2016 should generally be drunk now and 2018, with its ripeness and lower acidity, can also be enjoyed earlier. I would advise keeping your finer 2017s for some time – these have the acidity but not always the fleshiness of 2019. The best 2019s will age a very long time.

Top scoring Grand Cru Chablis 2019 wines

Read next

Chablis 2019: Full Vintage report and Top scoring wines

Chablis 2019: Top Scoring Premier Cru wines

Identifying the best Burgundy vineyards