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Photos from a visit to Chablis in December 2008: 1. Bernard Raveneau; 2. Tasting at Domaine François Raveneau; 3. Tasting at Agnes et Didier Dauvissat; 4. Jesse on a cold winter day in Chablis; 5. Domaine Louis Michel et Fils; 6. Chablis in the snow. 

We just received word from the importer that the highly anticipated wines of Thomas Pico's Domaine Pattes Loup have finally arrived in San Francisco. We took a position on these wines after tasting them for the first time back in January and have been eagerly counting the days when we could taste them again and ship them to our customers throughout the United States. 

I recently wrote a few words about the special flavor of Chablis to accompany the Chablis selections on our website. Click here and scroll down to read more about why we believe Chablis produces some of the most unique and flavorful white wines on the planet. 

Chablis is a wine where the goût de terroir (taste of the earth) is so powerfully resonant that its flavor is unmistakable no matter the irregularities of the weather. Chardonnay is the grape variety of Chablis, but no other Chardonnay on the planet will ever taste like Chablis. A chalk-like calcareous soil known as Kimmeridgian is half of the taste of the Chablis equation, and the other half is its northerly extremity. Chablis is Chardonnay's most northerly outpost in France-at least as a still wine-and ripeness is not easy to achieve.  

2009 Alice et Olivier de Moor Chablis Les Vendangeurs Masqu

The 2009 vintage has provided Chablisien vignerons an opportunity for ripeness and textural richness without sacrificing any of its classic zippy freshness. We like the vintage very much for white Burgundy and we plan to offer several 2009s in the upcoming months. Some will be from highly-rated crus (and, unfortunately, a higher tariff). Others, like the 2009 Alice et Olivier de Moor Chablis Les Vendangeurs Masque are very attractively priced. 

Alice and Olivier de Moor are dedicated organic growers in Courgis, a village located seven km south of Chablis, where they work a seven hectare domaine spread over four appellations. They've gained something of a cult following for the pure and authentic Chablis they craft. Their winegrowing and winemaking style is best described as "non-interventionist."

All the grapes are picked by hand and only natural yeasts are used to ferment the wines, which are matured in oak barrels that are typically one to four years old in order to ensure the oak flavors do not dominate the fruit. Les Vendangeurs Masque is a negociant wine made from rented vines, which is part of the reason we're able to offer this delicious 2009 Chablis for under $25.

Intensely mineral on the nose, this wine shows classic Chablis notes of wet chalk, chamomile tea, and cut hay. It's lemony and fresh with added 2009 richness. It's a pleasure when consumed with all types of raw and cooked shellfish, and is equally at home with roasted chicken with morels or whole roasted fish. Enjoy over the course of the summer or cellar for the next three to five years.

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Le Café du Passage was the second of two Paris restaurant recommendations by our friend and part-time Parisian David. David has a knack for rooting out value spots that feature market-driven cooking and well-chosen cartes du vin. Le Café du Passage is really more of a wine bar without a kitchen serving petits plats  (I think the dishes are plated behind the bar) with maybe a toaster oven to warm sandwiches and a few other hot dishes. We ordered a salade mixte, a Corsican saucisson of pork tenderloin, (I believe the owner is from Corsica), and a croque-monsieur made with Reblochon which I thought would work well with our wine. This may sound like a simple dinner but the ingredients were first rate and the dishes were prepared with care. In reading about the charcuterie of Corsica I came across this article stating that "sadly nearly 85% of Corsican charcuterie is produced on a semi-industrial basis" so I'm not certain of our saucisson's pedigree. It was tasty though. The interior is warm if nothing special and the place seems to draw a late local crowd. The real reason to go to Le Café du Passage is the well-priced and well-chosen wine list. We selected an '04 Raveneau Blanchot Chablis for € 88. There's a lot of great Burgundy and a tempting vertical of Jamet Côte-Rôtie, all ridiculously well-priced. I fear this place is becoming too well known now as there were quite a few out-of-stock wines so go to Le Café du Passage sooner rather than later.

12, rue de Charonne
Paris, France 75011
+33 1 49 29 97 64
Open 7 days/week