Domaine Oudin, Chablis 1er Cru Vaugiraut, 2022

Sisters Nathalie and Isabelle Oudin’s domaine is one of the hidden gems of Chablis. Coming back in 2007 after studying oenology, the hardworking Nathalie was joined by her sister Isabelle in 2013. Based in the village of Chichée, their vineyards are found on the right bank of the Serein river, just south of Chablis, with a south-western exposition that makes the most of the afternoon sun. The soils here are derived from Kimmeridgian and Portlandian limestone, with very little topsoil and a lot of stones. Viticulture has always been fanatical, using manure as fertiliser and eschewing the use of herbicides on all vineyards since 1985. They are prepared to take a risk with the quantity they produce to ensure quality, rather than reaching for easy chemical solutions, even though oidium and mildew are always a threat in such a northern location. In the cellar, they aim to preserve the raw material’s high-quality and enhance terroir definition. Fermentation and ageing are done in stainless for all their cuvées as they find oak overbearing for the delicately framed wines of the region. Fermentation is conducted using wild yeasts and Nathalie likes keeping as much of the lees as possible to impart texture and limit the use of sulphur. Their wines are some of the purest expressions of Chablis, chiselled and well-defined, they beautifully combine texture with minerality.