2021 Jeremy Arnaud Vau de Vey ‘La Grande Chaume’ Chablis Premier Cru, France

Vau de Vey is a standout site on the left bank of the Serein, just outside the village of Beine. It translates roughly to valley of the vey, from the Latin vadum, meaning a ford or marshy place. That etymology tracks: a stream once flooded the valleys entrance, and its presence is still felt.

This is a dramatic slope, southeast-facing and steep enough (up to 50%) that mechanized farming is nearly impossible. So its handwork, all the way. The soils are shallow and stony, classic Kimmeridgian marl from the Upper Jurassic, and in places, themarne shows through at the surface.

This is Chablis with intensity. Vivid, mineral, and shaped by the elements.