2023 De Moor - Chablis Vau de Vey (750ml)

Olivier de Moor grew up in Courgis, a village just southwest of Chablis, and still ages his wines in a cellar beneath his grandparents' old house. He and his wife Alice, both trained enologists, began renting and planting vines in the late 1980s and have farmed organically since 2005, well ahead of most of their neighbors. Olivier has long argued that Chablis was traditionally a richer, nuttier style of Chardonnay before heavy sulfur use flattened its character, a philosophy that guides every wine leaving the domaine. Their small, meticulous production has made them one of the most respected names among growers working outside the region's larger negociant houses.

Vau de Vey comes from a steep, southeast-facing parcel planted in 1983 that the couple acquired and converted from conventional farming in 2017, later lining its borders with fruit trees to encourage local bee populations. The grapes are picked by hand, destemmed, and pressed gently before a spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts in used Burgundy barrels. The wine completes full malolactic conversion and rests on its lees without stirring for roughly a year before bottling unfiltered, with only a light touch of sulfur added at that final stage.

The wine shows citrus zest, orchard fruit, and a distinct flinty minerality typical of the vineyard's Kimmeridgian soils. The palate is precise and saline, with racy acidity that sharpens through a long, chalky finish. It pairs well with grilled sole, fresh oysters, or a simple herbed chicken.