Domaine Raoul Gautherin et fils Chablis Grand Cru Vaudesirs 2022

Of the seven total climats in Chablis Grand Cru, Vaudésir stands apart with a characteristic fleshiness in the attack that grows long and lean on the saline finish. Not every vintage nor every producer finds its way through this essential tension. But we recognized it immediately: noble finesse and delicate power define this wine from start to finish.

It opens with fresh lemon, green apple, and honeysuckle aromas that expand with the initial weight in the mouth. The supple texture is supremely inviting, evoking bright stone fruit and almond before drawing in gently toward a more classic, penetrating, austere core. The finale erupts like spindrift from a passing wave, salt air clinging to the soft palate. It’s a little hard to explain, but we found an overwhelming sense of hope in this wine, something pure and cleansing that reminded us why we do what we do.

For Gautherin, Vaudésirs means a balance between opposing forces. They harvest two acres of 50-year-old vines, split between the vineyard’s unique southern (warm, ripe) and northern (steely, cool) exposures. After fermentation, one-third of the wine spends a year in oak, encouraging the grapes’ natural richness and elegant structure—similar to Dauvissat or Raveneau. The rest comes up in stainless steel, allowing for a quieter but more frank expression. The last act is to bring it all together into harmony, blending the various élevagesand aging the wine another ten months on its lees. The result defies mere chemistry.

Some of that magic comes from the strength of the 2018 vintage. Warm without ever getting hot, the season played right into the Gautherins’ restrained style. And their effort has all the hallmarks of a breakout performance.