2020 Louis Moreau Premier Cru Vau Ligneau Chablis Burgundy 750 ml

On the heels of two fantastic—and equally tiny—harvests in Chablis, prices are going through the roof. Yet a storied house like Louis Moreau, whose history in the region goes back over 200 years, can afford to take the long view.

Wine Access members have decorated the legendary producer with four- and five-star ratings, praising the “very elegant,” “beautiful” wines that outperform rivals many times the price. Yet this offer may be their finest value yet: the product of a stellar vintage, from one of the most distinctive vineyards in Chablis.

This 2020 still has the impressive focus that makes Chablis the world’s gold standard for crisp and clean Chardonnay, but adds a touch of volume and breadth to its mineral cut, making it ideal for early drinking—especially if grilled fish or crumbly goat cheese is on the menu.

The 2020 Vau Ligneau showcases the energy of grapes from nearly 50-year-old vines, cultivated according to the philosophy known as la lutte raisonée (“the reasoned struggle”). That means they farm the deep-rooted vines with minimal to no amounts of herbicides, fungicides, and pesticides, and this wine puts the vibrancy of the resulting Chardonnay grapes on full display. 

Add in native-yeast fermentation in stainless-steel tanks, then aging the wine in tank for a full 18 months before bottling in order to build complexity and increase cellarworthiness, and you have a pure expression of Chablis’ westernmost Premier Cru.