Garnier is hardly a household name, even among Chablis devotees. They are fairly new, having started to bottle under their own label only in the 1990s. They are also off the beaten track, in the northern extremes of AOC Chablis in the villages of Maligny, Ligny-le-Chatel and Villy.

They do extremely good work, farming organically — still rare in this part of France — and working in a traditional style (long natural fermentations, large neutral barrels, etc.). Their vines grow in the same kimmeridgian soils as you find in the heart of Chablis, but up here, the grapes take a bit longer to ripen. This means more freshness, later picking and better phenolic ripeness – even in the warmer years that we’ve been experiencing.

Today’s wine is a perfect village-level Chablis. You’ll notice the crisp, steely sensation that we miss from older vintages of Chablis right away. With time – and this wine can easily hang for a few days in your fridge – the other things that we love about Chablis start to come to the surface, like oyster shell and iodine.

This, for us, is a prime Reasonable Cellar candidate. Enjoy it now, next year, or in five years if you like. You will be rewarded every step of the way.

Domaine Garnier et Fils Chablis 2022 - $34.99
From organically farmed grapes sourced from Maligny, Ligny-le-Châtel, and Villy, vinified separately in stainless steel, concrete and foudres before blending, this is delicious, low-intervention Chablis of surprising depth.