The 2006 Chablis Les Clos is full of tropical fruits and citrus, faintly musky, very ripe, yet also sleek, refined, saline, chalky, and penetratingly bright – in short, something of an alter ego to the Blanchots. A lightly-sizzling, tactile sense of citrus rind and chalk, along with bitter cherry stone notes informs a pure, clear palate, and there is ample sap and minerality in the finish. This had already been assembled and fined when I tasted it, but still needed to overcome the hurdle of filtration and bottling. It should be worth following for at least 5-7 years. The 2005 was very nearly as good. The Long-Depaquit estate has been owned by the Bichot family of Beaune negociants for more than three decades, and with the re-emergence of that house as a quality force, one hopes that more attention will be paid to some of the most distinctive and age-worthy wines from one of the largest estates (including 1/6 of the grand cru acreage) in Chablis. Director Matthieu Mangenot and his team harvested in only 12 days. Various importers, including Atherton Imports, Menlo Park, CA; sales@awiwine.com

The 2006 Chablis Les Clos is full of tropical fruits and citrus, faintly musky, very ripe, yet also sleek, refined, saline, chalky, and penetratingly bright – in short, something of an alter ego to the Blanchots. A lightly-sizzling, tactile sense of citrus rind and chalk, along with bitter cherry stone notes informs a pure, clear palate, and there is ample sap and minerality in the finish. This had already been assembled and fined when I tasted it, but still needed to overcome the hurdle of filtration and bottling. It should be worth following for at least 5-7 years. The 2005 was very nearly as good. The Long-Depaquit estate has been owned by the Bichot family of Beaune negociants for more than three decades, and with the re-emergence of that house as a quality force, one hopes that more attention will be paid to some of the most distinctive and age-worthy wines from one of the largest estates (including 1/6 of the grand cru acreage) in Chablis. Director Matthieu Mangenot and his team harvested in only 12 days.Various importers, including Atherton Imports, Menlo Park, CA; sales@awiwine.com

Delicate but incisive. Lemon pie, cream and acacia. Persistent nose, rich, soft creamy attack. Acidity barely balancing the fruit.

This monopole within the Chablis grand cru vineyards produces top Chablis. In 2006, the wine is powerful, but layered with intense minerality, a flinty character on top of the ripe white and yellow fruits. It has concentration, a depth of flavor that is impressive. It will age well.——R.V.(5/1/2009)—— 94