Discover the Hidden Gem of Chablis
DOMAINE DE L’ENCLOS is a remarkable new Chablis estate founded in 2015 by brothers Romain and Damien. They became independent from their father’s negociant, Pascal Bouchard, and set up their own domaine. These include some of Chablis’ most prestigious vineyards, such as the Grands Crus Les Clos, Blanchot, and Vaudésir.
The Chablis area is located in the northernmost part of Burgundy and is characterized by fresh acidity and minerality due to the Kimmeridgian soil. Chablis continues to have a price advantage even as prices are rising in Burgundy overall. L’ENCLOS is the most remarkable of them all, offering quality Grands Crus and Premiers Crus at very attractive prices. It is highly acclaimed by starred restaurants and sommeliers in France, and is handled by prestigious restaurants such as Paul Bocuse and Bernard Loiseau.
L’ENCLOS is notable for its use of biodynamic methods, which is rare in Chablis. The cool climate of Chablis makes biodynamic winemaking difficult to implement due to the high risk of disease and frost, but L’ENCLOS has adopted this method in many of its vineyards. We do not use any herbicides, pesticides, or chemical fertilizers, and we farm with an emphasis on the natural environment. Since 2017, they have also been trying to use Preparation Nos. 500 and 501 according to biodynamic practices.
In the cultivation of the grapes, harvesting is all done carefully by hand, waiting until the sugar content is high enough to ensure alcohol content. “Hands-off” is the motto for winemaking, and the wine is pressed in a vacuum press and fermented using only natural yeasts.
The Chablis and Premier Cru Beauroy are aged in stainless steel tanks, while the other Premiers Crus and Grands Crus are aged for 12 months in wooden barrels. No fining is done at bottling, only rough filtering to remove the lees. In this way, they maximize their dedicated work in the vineyards and produce high quality wines.
Although it is still unknown to many, Lancro’s attractive price for the quality makes it a remarkable producer that is surely gaining popularity around the world. Keep an eye on DOMAINE DE L’ENCLOS in the Chablis market in the future! (Mr.Bacchus)
RELATED BLOG