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The Sainte Celine Chablis 2022 is a $14.99 Trader Joe’s import wine. It is produced for trader Joe’s by Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard a noted Chablis producer (since 1973) who has made some of the first organic and bio-dynamic wines in Chablis and Burgundy. Chablis is the northernmost growing region in Burgundy and Champagne is north of Chablis.
Chablis only produces Chardonnay wine. There are four tiers of Chablis wine, Petit Chablis is from vineyards in the outer edges surrounding the town of Chablis. Then comes Chablis wines grown in the central area around the village of Chablis. Third is Chablis Cru is sourced from a much smaller area with soils that are dominated by the preferred mineral-rich soils. The top region is Gran Cru Chablis which is located on a single slope and is comprised of 7 vineyard plots.
The Sainte Celine Chablis 2022 does not appear on the winery website, but it is available in markets worldwide where there is no trader Joe’s/Aldi North. It is typically priced at around $20 on those occasions.
Regular Chablis AOC is typically fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks, with “on-lees” aging. On lees is where the dead spent yeast is left in the tank with the wine and stirred (battonage) in intervals as prescribed by the winemaker. The more the lees are stirred the creamier the wine.
The back label of the Sainte Celine Chablis 2022 says the grapes are from a single vineyard with 30-year-old vines. It also says it was Estate bottled by Emb-89068 g-France, a check on Google shows that is the Domaine Brocard numerical designation. Estate-bottled French wines mean this is estate-grown wine. The alcohol content is typical for Chablis 12.5%.
The Sainte Celine Chablis 2022 Tasting Notes
The color is wheat yellow. The nose is lemon, green apple, melon, peach, pear, guava, soft spice, and lightly floral. The Sainte Celine Chablis 2022 is a sleek, nicely structured Chardonnay, with a subtle, but delicious flavor.
This Chablis/Chardonnay tastes like lemon mixed with tart apple and soft spice, followed by lime and melon. The mid-palate adds grapefruit, a nutty/salty sensation, nectarine, and a hint of cream. The acidity gives this Chablis excellent length and provides a solid structure for the flavors.
The Summary
- The Sainte Celine Chablis 2022 is a delicious well-made wine.
- Trader Joe’s price of $14.99 is very fair since this is a single vineyard Chablis from an excellent producer.
