La Chablisienne Montmains, Chablis Premier Cru, France

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Another high point of the range is the 2017 Chablis 1er Cru Montmains, some 95% of which derives from the clay-rich soils of Butteaux. Opening up to reveal notes of green apple, oyster shell, pear and white flowers, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with a reserved, blocky but nicely balanced profile. This will demand a little patience.

The 2016 Chablis 1er Cru Montmains unfurls in the glass with notes of minty apple and spring flowers. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, satiny and pure, with good concentration and amplitude, concluding with a stony finish. Derived almost entirely from the lieu-dit of Butteaux, it's one of the highlights of the range this year and carries a very modest price tag.

The 2014 Chablis 1Er Cru Montmains has a crisp, austere, granitic and quite absorbing bouquet that is very Chablis--this could not be from anywhere else. The palate is fresh on the entry and it has good mineralité and tension, poised and focused with a refined finish. This is another impressive Premier Cru from La Chablisienne in the 2014 vintage and great value to boot.

The 2013 Chablis 1er Cru Montmains is demonstrating a bit of wood contact on the nose. It is nicely defined although I would have preferred more "Chablis" to come through. As such, you might describe this as a pleasant Chardonnay that might come from anywhere in France. The palate is rounded in the mouth, balanced but lacking complexity, conservative and a little dry on the finish.

The 2012 Chablis 1er Cru Montmains comes from 3 hectares of vine and sees 12 months in stainless steel. It has quite an austere personality on the nose, but that permits smoke and gunflint aromas to prosper. The palate is clean and fresh with dried pineapple and fresh pear notes. The finish does not have the delineation that the nose deserves, but it offers respectable length in the mouth. Drink now-2018. La Chablisienne is one of Chablis’ most high-profile cooperatives and a great success story. Founded back in 1923 and still going strong, it is said that they oversee approximately one-quarter of the region’s production, around 300 individual growers. Therefore, just like Georges Duboeuf in Beaujolais or Louis Jadot in the Cote d’Or, it is important that they maintain standards irrespective of high volumes, since their size ensures that they have an ambassadorial role for Chablis, for ordinary punters perhaps seeking to broaden their horizons. In this respect, the wines should not be looked down upon given the showing here. While none of them reached the heady heights of Chablis’ most revered artisans, there was certainly a consistency across the range that when coupled with the volume produced, deserves to be applauded. Importers: Ruby Wines (MA), Opici Wines (NY), Grape Expectations (CA), Brescome Barton (CT)