B-21 Top Recommendation Read More
Whether you’re a fan of steely, unoaked Chardonnay or enjoy the lush characteristics of white Burgundy aged in barrel, this selection from master of terroir Jean-Marc Brocard has something for every Chablis lover and anyone looking for extraordinary white wine bargains, ranging from the stellar entry level old vines cuvees to robustly structured 1er and Grand Crus and even a Sauvignon Blanc from Burgundy’s border with the Loire, all bargain priced for fans of meticulously crafted white wines to stock the cooler and the cellar.
Jean-Marc Brocard has been one of the leading producers in Chablis for nearly 50 years, his first vineyard near the village of Prehy planted in 1973 on a single hectare given to him as a wedding gift by his new father-in-law. As a leader in sustainable and biodynamic farming in the region, Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard is now under the direction of Jean-Marc’s Julien, its estate holdings spanning over 200 hectares of organically farmed vines grown in the area’s famous Kimmeridgian soils, a fossil-rich calcareous clay that imparts minerality and a note of salinity. From the only Burgundy appellation that allows non-Burgundian grapes, the 2021 Brocard Saint-Bris is a highly aromatic Sauvignon Blanc redolent of crisp citrus fruit and grassy notes with the region’s characteristic minerality, matured in wood vats to yield balanced acidity. Sourced from the estate’s youngest Chardonnay vines, the 2020 Brocard Bourgogne Kimmeridgien offers ripe, citrusy flavors and softer acidity over an impressive mineral backbone. Sourced from a single vineyard of 30 year old vines, the enticing 93 pt. 2020 Brocard Chablis Ste. Claire was aged for 9 months in stainless to preserve its energetic acidity with “a long, delightfully chalky finish” according to the Wine Enthusiast’s Anna Lee Iijima, while the “very fine” 92 pt. 2021 Brocard Chablis Ste. Claire boasts crisp fruit flavors and a “precise finish that deserves a round of applause” according to Neal Martin of Vinous, both poised to evolve over the next decade. Brocard’s selections from old vines over 70 years of age include the 92 pt. 2020 Brocard Chablis Vieilles Vignes de Sainte Claire that’s “full bodied and richly textured” according to the Wine Enthusiast’s Iijima and the deeply structured 96 pt. 2020 and the 2021 Brocard Chablis Vieilles Vignes de 1946, all stunning values built to age. Brocard’s highly rated 1er Cru selections include the 89-92 pt. 2020 Brocard Chablis 1er Cru Montmains with its fresh minerality and elegance, the 93 pt. 2020 Brocard Chablis 1er Cru Vau de Vey that critics describe as an “invigorating sip” with a “sneaky long finale,” and a pair of 94 pointers, the 2020 Brocard Chablis Vaulorent 1er Cru boasting “beautifully punchy flavors” according to Burghound and the “delightful” 2019 Brocard Montee de Tonnerre 1er Cru that Decanter’s Andy Howard describes as having “oodles of character.” From top Grand Cru vineyards, the 2019 Brocard Chablis Bougros Grand Cru and 2020 Blanchots, Les Clos and Valmur are full-bodied and complex, expressing the elegant minerality of great Chablis with beautiful balance and promising over a decade of evolution.
Among the finest values from northern Burgundy, it’s impossible to go wrong with these masterfully crafted selections from Jean-Marc Brocard whether choosing a few favorites or mixing a case or two, a full spectrum of impressive white Burgundies ready to enjoy for years to come. |