Everything in life is better with Chablis. When people talk about their ‘desert island wines’, the choices are invariably something grand, special or rare. Not for me. If you were to strand me on a desert island with a choice of a single drink for the rest of my life, I believe I may well end up passing my days in a drunk stupor, surrounded by bottles of Raveneau, Dauvissat et all. Oh, and Jean-Claude Bessin, a recent discovery through the gentlemen at Caskadia.

I don’t know exactly what it is about Chablis that is so attractive to me. If you look at it on paper, it’s a generally high-acid, non-aromatic style of wine that’s as much about body and texture as it is about flavour. Chardonnay isn’t itself a hugely characterful grape in itself and takes its cues mainly from the climate in which its grown, the soil its grown in (controversial!) and how it’s made in the winery itself. I like wines with energy, which isn’t something you’re ever going to write down in an exam, but I believe is an irrefutable element of what makes great wine. Good Chablis has it in spades, and the very best wines almost vibrate with it.

Jean-Claude Bessin isn’t one of the great names of the region (Yet. I suspect this will change), which is fortunate as I can actually afford them as a result. An architect by trade originally, he took over 12 hectares of land from his father-in-law and has been making wine from these plots since 1992, now joined by his son, Romain. I’ve not had the pleasure of trying any of his Grand Cru wines, but then I generally judge a producer by the effort they put into their entry level wines, which Jean-Claude Bessin passes with flying colours. Thanks to their efforts in the vineyards and a commitment to quality, the estate is now blessed with old-vines across most of the vineyards, and the wine-making process is lengthy and gentle, with the wines spending a particularly long amount of time on their fine lees.

The result is a savory, textured style of Chablis that manages this extra weight without sacrificing any vibrancy or purity of fruit; much like the two most famous names in Chablis I mentioned in the first paragraph. I’ve not met the man, but Jean-Claude clearly has a delicate touch when it comes to wine-making, and his influence is certainly a part of the whole; quite refreshingly, there’s no suggestion that these wines magically made themselves.

Below I’ve reviewed the old-vine Chablis that is their flagship wine, as well as two Premier Cru’s from the 2016 vintage; a torrid year for Chablis with significant hail damage to many vineyards, and almost a 50% loss of crop overall. The 2017’s should be arriving at Caskadia around October and again, with reduced crops due to the devastating frost there won’t be much around! I’ll be jumping on a good few bottles as I expect them to be even better than these very impressive wines from 2016.

Jean-Claude Bessin Chablis ‘Vielles Vignes’ 2016
100% Chardonnay from vines with an average age of 45 years, from plots across the estate. Partial MLF completed and spends 18 months resting on its fine lees in tank, after fermentation using ambient yeasts.

Pale lemon in colour and moderately aromatic, but with real classic, Chablis aromas. Bright, lemony fruit, green apples, white peach, chalk and a touch of phenolic waxiness on the nose. Dry and fresh though creamier than expected; some real weight and texture from the long autolysis here! Fresh, good quality Chablis and the strength of the old vines comes through on the persistent finish. 90pts

Jean-Claude Bessin ‘Montmains’ Premier Cru Chablis 2016
100% Chardonnay from vines with an average age of 50 years, from 1.28HA of the Montmains Premier Cru. Fermented in tank and then aged in both tank and barrel (10% new oak) before fining and blending.

Deeper in colour than the Chablis Vieilles Vignes and more aromatic. The same, bright lemony character shines through but with a little more depth and complexity; pear and melon fruit, acacia, brioche, light toast and that lovely, crushed-shell character I so love. Stone-fruited and fresh on the palate with the tell-tale creamy acidity and light savoury touches. Long and persistent; really good stuff. 92pts

Jean-Claude Bessin ‘Fourcharme’ Premier Cru Chablis 2016
100% Chardonnay from vines with an average age of 60 years, from 1.15HA of the Fourcharme Premier Cru. Fermented in tank and barrel, with 6-8 months ageing in a mixture of new (10%) and old French oak.

This is superb Chablis. A lovely mixture of citrus and stone fruits with wonderful fruit purity, as well as touches of iodine, crushed shells and a subtle, salty freshness. Compared to the other two wines, this acidity is absolutely electric; mouth-watering and persistent right into the long finish. There are layers of flavours here and absolutely effortless energy; this is exactly my sort of wine! Special stuff. 95pts