2018 Domaine de Viviers Chablis 750 ml

There’s a reason that most of the Chablis we offer is around $30 per bottle.

The region has been afflicted with a string of exceptionally low-yielding vintages—while worldwide demand exploded. So wines that meet our stringent standards usually come with prices that push them into the realm of considered consumption.

But we grew up in an era when excellent Chablis could be easy weeknight drinking, and Domaine de Viviers’ 2018 is a throwback to that time. It’s a rarity in its combination of quality and price—and so we locked up every single bottle in the US once we tasted it. Nearly five years after it was harvested, this under-$20 bottle is absolutely singing now. 

The Viviers name has been famous in Chablis since at least the 14th century, when the King of France’s notary purchased what would become the Château de Viviers—which was already famous for its wines. Those wines would go on to be poured in Versailles and at the weddings of Louis XIV and Louis XV.

Once you look at the terroir that Viviers has planted, its longtime fame becomes easy to to understand. Their vines are planted at 300 meters of altitude, a higher elevation than much of Chablis, and those roots dig deep into Kimmeridgian soils right on the edge of the basin—imparting a combination that guarantees wines of intensely Chablisienne character.

In 2018, they had the benefit of one of the warmest years in Chablis’ history—vintage conditions that winemakers in the 14th century would have killed for. A combination of drought and summer heat concentrated the berries, adding a layer of richness and texture that are the hallmark of exceptional bottles.