2019 J. Moreau et Fils Chablis Grand Cru Valmur 750 ml

Top-tier wines from J. Moreau are rare in the US, and their Valmur bottling is nearly impossible to find on our shores. Since the 2019 hails from one of Burgundy’s great vintages—Wine Enthusiast rated it 95 points—it’s a jewel that belongs in the cellar of every Chardonnay-lover.

Broad but ephemeral, delicate yet powerful, and perfectly balancing its impressive weight with a Jedi-like focus and drive, this wine is a heavenly study in the complexity of contradiction. Glowing with a brilliant hay-golden sheen, it entices at first glance. Lemon pith and honeysuckle achieve a thrilling aromatic lift, while the broad and muscular palate delivers precise acidity and a chalky note.

Of the seven Grand Crus of Chablis, Valmur is considered by many to be the region’s—and therefore the world’s—greatest expression of Chardonnay. The angular vineyard sits in a small valley cut into the slope, and its slight amphitheater shape means the vines benefit from their unique exposure, helping give the wines a split personality defined by a duality of steely bite and sun-dappled ripeness.

To ensure every whisper of that terroir character is accounted for in the final wine, J. Moreau ages the majority of it in stainless steel, and the rest in 35% used oak barrels on the fine lees for nine months—a significant level of restraint for a house that was built by a cooper.

A terroir-infused gem worthy of any collection or dinner table, this is Goldilocks Grand Cru Chablis in its quality and value.