2020 J. Moreau et Fils Fourchaume Chablis Premier Cru 750 ml

Great Chablis is a key part of the world’s finest wine lists for a reason: It’s profound, hauntingly complex, and electric—Chardonnay stripped down to its bare essence of rock and vibrant fruit.

That makes it a Swiss Army knife for wine directors and sommeliers, who can pull it out to pair with just about anything. 

he wine’s lemon zest, saline minerality, and hints of nuttiness are as pure as Chardonnay gets. It’s got enough richness to pair with hearth-roasted fowl but enough brightness and perfectly complement a delicate salad of Dungeness crab.

The 2020 vintage was one of the best in Chablis’ recent memory. A warm year solved most of the usual growing problems in the often-soggy region, but Moreau was able to harvest early enough to preserve excellent acidity in their wines. The Wine Advocate raved about the vintage, saying “the quality of the wines is undeniable”—and Premier Cru bottles like this one have Grand Cru energy.

Fourchaume is one of Chablis’ most famous Premier Crus. Functionally an extension of the bench of Grand Cru sites that line the right bank of the Serein River, it’s one of the most coveted sites in the entire region. In J. Moreau, the vineyard has one of its most accomplished winemakers. With over 200 years of history in the region, the Moreau family’s success in Chablis is written in their longevity and in the proliferation of quality wines bearing their name.