Growing up in Tonnerre, just outside Chablis, these wines feel deeply personal to me. Chablis was one of the first regions that taught me how dramatically terroir can shape Chardonnay — sometimes from vineyards only minutes apart.
This weekend, I wanted to share two Premier Crus from Domaine de la Mandelière that beautifully illustrate that idea. Same producer, same vintage, same grape… yet completely different expressions in the glass.
Mont de Milieu • More linear and mineral • Right bank vineyard near the Grand Crus • Saline, lifted, precise
Les Fourneaux • More generous and textured • Warmer exposition • Broader palate with riper fruit expression