(2024) Quite old vines here, and around 10% barrel fermentation for a Chablis that is restrained and perhaps lacks just a bit of the zing and kimmeridgean freshness of the best. But it is elegantly proportioned, showing cool but rounded fruitiness and a suggestion of summer blossom on the nose, then a creamy palate that just hints at salinity in the finish. Drinks well, and although there are no fireworks here, it is a fine village level wine.

(2024) Part barrel-fermented I believe, this certainly has a touch of honey and creaminess on the nose that would suggest that. It's not the steeliest of Chablis 1er Crus, more about a generous but elegant palate of ripe fruits and good acid balance, but perhaps lacking some of the zip and flinty brightness of some.

(2024) Second release of this wine, another Galician variety from the cooler northwest of Spain. A more neutral nose than the Albariño, but with more mealiness to the aromas, perhaps to do with 46% of the wine being made in concrete eggs?  That oatmeal character translates to the palate, again long lees ageing surely emphasising that. Plenty of juicy lemon and taut, crisp apple acidity. UK price and stockists to be confirmed.

(2023) A Brut Chardonnay from volcanic and sandstone soils with a little limestone that rests on lees for 32 months. Lively in the glass, the aromas suggest a lightly honeyed, nutty then stone fruit character with a zesty brightness. Dry and elegant on the palate, its mostly about that lemony fruit and the wine stays precise to the finish with a hint of stony minerals perhaps.

(2023) From a cool year, much more into the asparagus and green bean character that might be familiar from Marlborough Sauvignon, with citrus and peach beneath. A racy style, tiny sherbetty note, tangy with loads of pithy grapefruit and relatively broad texture into a crisp and still quite well balanced finish. Bottled October 2013. pH 3.25 and acidity 6.7g/l. No UK retail stockists listed at time of review.

(2022) I'm a huge fan of Chablis, if push came to shove, it would arguably be my favourite Chardonnay region among many. I couldn't help feeling a little underwhelmed by this offering from Simonnet-Febvre. It's not that I don't appreciate the cool restraint and crisp, clarity of the wine, it's just that it's combination of medium-ripe apple fruit and citrus really doesn't sing of the Fourchaume terroir.

(2021) From one of the coolest sites on the already cool island of Tasmania, just 4.5 kilometres from the ocean, vines were planted in 2008 and this is partially fermented with wild yeasts and spends nine months in oak of various sizes, 40% new. Partial malolactic. Pale green/gold, distinctive lime and lemongrass nose, the oak very much in the background, a certain minerality here. In the mouth quite crisp and incisive, all about lemons and pithy grapefruit, perhaps needs to relax a tad more. To be fair, I am not certain this sample was in perfect condition.

(2021) At 15 kilometres from the ocean this single block wine is from a biodynamic estate, the vines planted on clay with chalk/limestone deposits. Whole-bunch pressed into tight-grained 500-litre French oak, and it sees 100% malolactic. Relatively dark in colour compared to the others here, with a lightly oxidised character, so I suspect this was another sample not in perfect condition. Toast and the oak certainly apparent, but an intriguing nuttiness and even some floral notes at the opposite extreme perhaps. The palate has a lovely blend of orange and grapefruit and something peachier and more exotic, then the acidity comes through nicely, so the finish dries on saltiness again with gastronomic effect. My score must be predicated on this being a less than perfect example. I look forward to another occasion and a different bottle.

(2021) Made only in stainless steel ('Acero') with no oak contact, Marimar selects the most intense fruit from the coolest, ocean-influenced sites for this cuvée. The nose has a gentle creaminess, presumably from some lees ageing, nutty and creamy apple fruit and a zesty hint of lemon. On the palate good bite and freshness here, clarity to the fruit and acidity, which is well-balanced without being aggressive. It's a wine that does not have the sharp precision of the best Chablis (unsurprisingly) and arguably should or could be a few pounds cheaper in my opinion, but it is elegant, restrained and delicious.

(2020) From Vaillons, one of the largest of Chablis' Premier Cru vineyards, this is not the most expressively 'mineral' renditions of Chablis terroir. It's a subtle wine, some gentle floral aspects to fairly straightforward orchard fruits on the nose, a background hint of something peachier comes through, and yes, just a hint of something flinty. In the mouth it is quite a substantial wine, generous acidity edges fairly fleshy, ripe, but focused fruit; there's tension here but also weight and substance.