The Brocards’ 2008 Chablis Vieilles Vignes Domaine Sainte Claire (as usual, issuing from the Malantes and Les Pargues vineyards, and in bottle only a short time before I tasted it in April) is redolent of and brimming with citrus oil, fruit pit, fresh lemon, honeydew melon and mint, backed by intense chalk, salt, and iodine. Formidably dense, yet bright and refreshing, and with a slight aura of post-bottling reduction, this should grow into the role of an outstanding generic bottling and table companion for the coming 4-5 years. Enologist Nadine Gublin (also of Domaine Jacques Prieur) headed-up the Brocards’ 2008 efforts from start to finish, including a harvest that extended well into October, while Julien Brocard continues to up the percentage of acreage farmed biodynamically at this enormous property. (Tiny lady bugs and moons are scattered discreetly across the labels of those Brocard wines that issue from “bio” vineyards.) Due to time limitations, I did not taste the entire 2008 collection here, but every wine I tasted could be recommended and is included in this report.Imported by: Martine’s Wines, Novato, CA; tel. (415) 883-0400
