Domaine de la Mandeliere Chablis 1er Cru Les Fourneaux / 2023 / 750mL

The Domaine de la Mandelière Chablis 1er Cru Les Fourneaux 2023 is a Chardonnay from the Chablis region of northern Burgundy, grown on the warmer right-bank slopes that give Les Fourneaux its slightly riper, more generous profile. Expect a wine with the cut you want from Chablis, but with flesh across the middle rather than austerity.

The aromatics lean towards white peach, lemon pith and a little yellow apple, with the chalky, almost saline character that marks out good Chablis. There is a faint smokiness underneath, the sort of struck-flint note that sits behind the fruit rather than over it.

On the palate the 2023 is dry and precise, with acidity running straight through the wine and a gentle grip on the sides of the tongue. The texture is finer than it is broad, and the finish stays long and mineral, drying off with citrus zest and a touch of oyster shell.

Oysters and other raw shellfish are the obvious call, though this has enough presence for roast chicken, a leek and gruyère tart, or firm white fish with beurre blanc. Serve it around 10-12°C so the fruit has room to show.

Drinking well from now, and should hold and build complexity through to roughly 2031 under good cellaring conditions.