Faiveley Chablis (Burgundy, France) 2004 (Wilson Daniels, $28):  People will call me crazy if I say that my favorite type of white Burgundy is Chablis.  I admit that no Chardonnay wine in the world can compare with a top Corton Charlemagne that has had enough aging, or with a Montrachet from a great producer.  But such wines need time to develop, are rare and hence difficult to find, and are mighty expensive.  Chablis delivers authenticity and quality for a fraction of the price, and in my experience is more reliable more often from more producers.

Faiveley's 2004 Chablis is a worthy champion for the Chablis cause.  It expresses, in both its aromas and flavors, that signature minerality of the Chablis area.  It is rich, full-bodied, mouthfilling and soft, and yet it has almost electrifying acidity that counterbalances its richness.  Ripe yet crisp, the wine fascinates the mind as well as satisfying the mouth and tummy.

After years of swinging away from barrel fermentation and aging, the wines of Chablis today are increasingly produced using oak, though this is mainly true of the wines sourced from premier cru and grand cru vineyards.  This 'basic' Chablis is fermented and aged in stainless steel vats and has spent no time in barrels.  As a result, it has no oaky flavor and no phenolic character from oak.

With the arrival of Bernard Hervet as CEO of Domaine Faively, the Chablis from this producer are changing somewhat in terms of fruit sourcing and vinification from the 2005 vintage onward.  Hervet is a proponent of oak in the production of Chablis--but not overt oakiness of style.  He remarked to me that 'Oak is absolutely necessary to age Chablis, but new oak is the enemy of great Chablis.' The 2005 Faiveley Chablis is richer and fatter than the 2004, but not more so than might be expected from a riper vintage.  Even Faiveley's grand cru Chablis Les Clos sees only about ten percent new oak.  It is the minerality of Chablis that makes it discordant with new oak, Hervet believes--'Like an oaky Chardonnay with oysters or other shellfish.'

The 2004 vintage was challenging for producers all across Burgundy because after producing a small crop in 2003, the vines naturally set a large crop in 2004, and wet weather then set the stage for fungal diseases, particularly powdery mildew.  Like other conscientious growers, the Faiveley team reduced the crop by green harvesting and as a result was able to achieve healthy grapes and full ripeness.  The ripe fruit flavor of Faiveley's 2004 Chablis--suggesting ripe, red apple rather than green apple--and the wine's mouthfilling richness show how ripe the grapes were.  And yet the crisp acidity and the pure, vivid aromatic expression of fruit and minerality typify the vintage's cool weather.  When you taste the wine, the combination intrigues.

To my taste, this 2004 Chablis is perfect now, although it should hold well thanks to its acidity.  It's just the right weight for fish or seafood in a creamy or buttery sauce, or grilled octopus--dishes more substantial than simple fish fillets.  I suspect that it will be great with Brie and even better with paella.  But let's not forget oysters: love that minerality!

90 Points