Domaine de L'Enclos

Chablis | Burgundy

The river that runs through Chablis is aptly named: the Serine, a serene body of water as placid and perfect as the vineyards and sleepy villages that line its banks. Yet there is a new generation of grower here who is working to wake up this cool northern corner of Burgundy – for the better.

Romain and Damien Bouchard founded their winemaking estate only in 2016, yet they are the fourth generation of their clan to toil the classic and chalky, Kimmeridgian soils of Chablis. For generations, the family provided other winemakers with peerless Chardonnay fruit, pulled from impressive holdings in grand cru and premier cru vineyards, planted carefully by family hands.

Today these vines are in their prime, and with a passion to craft Chablis wines from living soils and healthy grapes, according to “simple and natural” methods and a good dose of “observation and patience,” the brothers – who call themselves “perfectionists” – have set a new, higher standard for the character-driven wines of Chablis.

La Revue du Vin de France calls the wines of Domaine de L’Enclos “a sure value in the appellation,” but we’d take it much further: these organically raised, thrillingly expressive Chablis wines in short order have shown what a clear vision and native talent can achieve here, particularly amid a changing climate. These are Chablis wines with body and soul, energetic yet refined – indeed, stellar quality for serious value.

FARMING & WINEMAKING

The family maintains some 70 acres of vineyard land in the “heart” of Chablis, the entirety of which began its organic conversion in 2015; the estate was officially certified in 2018. Holdings include some four acres of grand cru vineyards, and around 20 acres of premier cru land; with the rest in general Chablis and Petit Chablis.

The brothers at the beginning of their project built a new cellar space underneath the family home, which originally was a 19th century abbey. This modern cellar allows wine to be moved gently by gravity.

All grapes (at all levels) are harvested by hand, and sorted both in the fields and in the cellar. Fermentation happens on indigenous yeasts, in either temperature-controlled tank or French oak barrel. Wines in general spend some 18 months on fine lees; and are neither fined nor cold stabilized. Only a moderate amount of sulfur is added at bottling. Wines are lightly filtered.

WHITE WINES

Chablis

The brothers source perfect, older-vine fruit from vineyards near the villages of Chablis, La Chapelle Vaupelteigne and Beines, the “heart” of the Chablis region and some of its best, chalkiest and purest soils. This is a “basic” Chablis that is more than a cut above — texture, intensity, flavor, it’s all there.

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Chablis 'Gabrielle'

A special Chablis tribute to the winemakers’ grandparents, who with tons of energy and foresight planted vines on prime terroir in the village of La Chapelle in the 1970s and 1980s. This special wine is racy and bright, with a soulful base of sauteed lemons and quince paste.

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Chablis 'A L'Ouest'

A lovely, no-added-sulfur Chablis with pep and kick and tons of mineral-laced energy. A special natural wine pulled from great terroir near the commune of Beine, on full south-facing slopes.

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Chablis 1er Cru 'Beauroy'

The family tends some 10 acres of premier cru land in ‘Beauroy,’ an east-facing premier cru not far from the village of Beines. Here 40-year-old vines transform fruit into a thrilling Chablis of profound grace and energy.

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Chablis 1er Cru 'Vau de Vey'

One of Chablis’ coolest premier cru plots, ‘Vau de Vey’ sits on a very steep slope and faces east. Green apple, crushed oyster shells, tons of energy.

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Chablis 1er Cru 'Montmains'

A classic premier cru ‘Montmains’ with older vines located not far from the border with premier cru ‘Fôret.’ Great structure, notes of sea salt and smoke, thrilling length.

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Chablis 1er Cru 'Mont de Milieu'

Estate vines are found in the far west of this premier cru plot, at the top of the ridge; higher-altitude, more cooling winds, tons of citrus and stony expression.

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Chablis 1er Cru 'Fourchaume'

A stellar, complex premier cru that shares the same noble position as Chablis’ grand cru row, but to the north. The family’s holdings in ‘Fourchaume’ sit on the valley ridge, higher-altitude, and face west.

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Chablis 1er Cru 'Fourchaume - Dédé'

Representing some of the oldest vines of the estate, this special selection of fruit from vines planted in 1964 by the winemakers’ grandfather André (called Dédé) is a wonderfully savory and powerful Fourchaume, with cool lemony notes and lots of stony persistence.

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Chablis Grand Cru 'Vaudesir'

The family’s acre-plus in grand cru ‘Vaudesir’ faces full south, which means more intensity and more sun-rich, citrus-kissed flavor. A lovely wine and one that will reward in a cool cellar.

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Chablis Grand Cru 'Les Clos'

Chablis’ most expressive and certainly sunny grand cru, ‘Les Clos’ here is crafted from older-vine fruit, Chardonnay planted by the winemakers’ grandfather in 1967 in the heart of the vineyard. A stellar wine for the cellar.