2015 Chablis Les Pargues

This estate picked its hail-affected vines in Clos, Blanchots and Montée de Tonnerre first, beginning on September 4. According to commercial director Marc Cameron, the rain that accompanied the hail speeded up the ripening process and actually saved the harvest. The grapes swelled, he said, but thanks to their thick skins, the flavors remained clean. Total acidity levels in the post-malo ‘15s average about 4 grams per liter, with some pHs as low as 3.1, he went on, adding that alcohol levels are between 12.5% and 13%, with some wines lightly chaptalized. Cameron told me that the vintage reminds him of 2006 (“they have similar numbers”) and that the 2015s are more generous and open than the 2014s, which have more acidity, structure and soil character. “The 2015s will be easier to drink earlier,” he noted.

For his part, proprietor/winemaker François Servin is happy to have what he described as “some deeper Chablis; 2015 is a good blend between classic Burgundy and the new style. Two thousand fifteen is similar to 2005 and 2009; some 2005s are a bit heavy now but others are fine. Our 2015s really need a long élevage; so far, they’ve been gaining in freshness.” Servin described 2014 as “a great vintage for aging but not like 2010, which is the ultimate long-aging vintage due to the small berries and higher ration of skin to juice. The 2010s haven’t yet moved,” he added. Cameron told me that his first impression of 2014 was that it was a very saline, minerally vintage, like the years prior to 1995. “The ‘14s have green acidity, structure and soil character,” he said, “but some people picked too early in ’14 after their experience with the ‘13s.”