Romain Collet is wasting no time. Since being handed the reigns of his family?s deep holdings in some of Chablis? finest terroirs, he has wavered not in his (r)evolutionary drive to bring out the parcellary best of it. I already knew of his first step in this direction, culling separate 1er cru Secher and Butteaux bottlings from the stonnier upper slope lieu dits of their massive parcels in Vaillons and Montmains. However, after putting about the vineyards in an old school 2 cylinder jeepy-car-thing last month, I was pleasantly surprised to find a few more cru gems in his stable, well below the radar. In the midslope Montmains lieu dit sweetspot of les F?rets, nestled between two sections of vines belonging to Dauvissat, he replanted several rows of unhealthy vines just 5 years ago, whose promise is just beginning to emerge. When we ventured into the fabled Grand cru portion of the Chablis hillside to check out his parcel of Valmur (image below), we stopped at the top of the hill above les Clos (image above), perhaps Chablis? most famous single site. From here you can see the village of Chablis on your right, with the 1er crus of Montmains and Vaillons extending behind the village and to the left. It was here that he let another cat out of the bag: he rented a small parcel of les Clos!, from old vines towards the bottom of the hill that he now farms year round. I could hardly wait to taste them back at the winery?..
