2024 Christophe Patrice Chablis 1er Cru Beauregard, Burgundy

Christophe Patrice is a relatively young name by Chablis standards, establishing his domaine in 2006 after working for many years in the family vineyards. Based in Beine, west of the town of Chablis, he has steadily assembled holdings across the appellation and built a reputation for Chardonnay that puts freshness and vineyard character ahead of elaborate winemaking. Beauregard gives him Premier Cru material from the southern side of the region, with a little more depth than his village wines while keeping that unmistakable Chablis cut.

Beauregard sits around Courgis on slopes rich in the Kimmeridgian limestone and fossilised marine material that define the best vineyards of Chablis. Its favourable exposure encourages good ripeness, bringing a touch more flesh to the naturally cool, mineral style. The 2024 vintage was a difficult, low yielding season in Chablis, but careful growers produced wines with excellent acidity, citrus intensity and beautifully delineated fruit.

Pale straw with flashes of green, the bouquet is all lemon zest, green apple and white peach at first, followed by grapefruit, citrus blossom and a distinctly chalky, oyster shell note. With air come hints of preserved lemon, fresh almond and wet stone. The palate is taut but not skinny, with citrus and crisp orchard fruit wrapped around a fine, lightly creamy texture. Saline acidity drives through the middle before chalk, lemon pith and crushed shell carry the wine into a long, dry finish.

Fresh oysters are an obvious temptation, but steamed scallops with ginger and spring onion, crab and chive dumplings, grilled whiting with lemon and capers or tempura prawns would all be superb. Our pick is the scallops. Their delicate sweetness against Beauregard’s lemon, chalk and salty mineral edge is Chablis doing exactly what we want it to do.

Cellaring: Drink from 2027 to 2038.