A classic nose of lime, kirsch, shrimp shell reduction and chicken stock, along with a whiff of struck flint rises from the glass of Guffens- tank-rendered 2008 Chablis, which this year favors fruit from Fye (north of the grand crus) as well as the village of Chablis itself. Brightly, lusciously juicy on the palate, the fruit here is tinged with cherry pit bitterness, salt, iodine, and chalk. Given its energy, length, and generosity, you can't ask for too much more from generic Chablis than this outstanding value for enjoying over the next year or two. -To those who wrote that 2007 was a classic Chablis year,- says Macon-based Jean-Marie Guffens, who bought fruit from that vintage solely for a Les Clos - -I want them to know that I never again want to see a -classic- year like that! You had to choose between picking under-ripe or risking over-ripeness and rot. And to me Chablis under-ripe is ?- at which point he struck one of those elastic-faced grimaces that are a Guffens hallmark. (Naturally, his comment and gesture were directed inter alia at my own opinion!) Guffens described the summer of 2008 as -even worse than the summer of 2007,- but considered the upshot of 2008 incomparably better thanks to the balmy, breezy September weather, which permitted him to put off picking until September 26 - October 9, the wines reaching 13.5% potential (and finished) alcohol at the upper end, but generally hovering in the mid to upper 12s. No doubt influenced as well by growers- willingness to deal on price in 2008, Guffens rendered a considerable (not to mention exemplary) range of Chablis from this vintage; and his 2009 Chablis collection will be his largest-ever both in volume and diversity as well as, in his opinion, among his best. (Indeed, those 2009 wines were displaying a dimension of minerality and degree of nuance as well as vivacity from cask and tank in April that few of their vintage appeared likely to equal.)Importers include: Ideal Wine & Spirits, Medford, MA; tel. (617) 395-3300 and Vintner Select, Mason, OH; tel. (513) 229-3630
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