wUst Fine Wine Imports
wines U should try!
Vignoble Angst
Vignerons are unfortunately full of angst each year about their vignobles (the places where those noble grapes are grown!), particularly in Chablis with its annual bouts with the two G-forces of gelee (frost) and grele (hail). Those double G-forces are effectively countered by double Angst, however, with the talented team of Antoine & Celine Angst producing beautifully balanced and expressive wines such as their Premier Cru Cote de Jouan, AOC Chablis, Petit Chablis, a very interesting Aligote from the limestone terroir of Chablis, and a Bourgogne Blanc each year.
They are a great team as well with their very complementary skills. Antoine studied agriculture and has a degree in winemaking and Celine has a degree in Oenology. Antoine is particularly proud of his meticulous vineyard management applied to their estate vineyards near Courgis (including both Cote de Jouan and Cote de Cuissy Premier Cru sites) and in Maligny (but which are not vineyards to be maligned!). The precision and focus in their wines are from a combination of great winemaking skills and their equally meticulous winemaking facility which is tailor-made for small lot fermentation of their very precious Chablis region grapes.
The result is very fully flavored and food friendly Chablis and Bourgogne Blanc wines. Below the pictures are tasting notes along with food pairing ideas for their wines that I am importing.
A gnarled old Chardonnay vine - and you can see the broken limestone that gives Chablis its minerality
A view of the Angst's Cote de Jouan Premier Cru site
Small batch fermentation tanks for concentrated flavors
Celine et Antoine
The Wines
Vignoble Angst Bourgogne Aligote 2019 (OF, NF)
Aligote and Chardonnay share a common ancestor which is Gouais Blanc and Aligote is thought to be a natural crossing between Gouais Blanc and Pinot Noir. Aromas include yellow roses, Meyer Lemon, camellia, honeysuckle, and hints of pineapple, grapefruit, and other tropical fruits. Flavors include white peaches, green apple, Meyer lemon, and a hint of white grapefruit. There is medium body, perfect balance and acidity, and a full minerally finish.
Food pairings would include sole, shrimp, crab, scallops, halibut, swordfish, fish soups and pasta dishes, veal, pork, chicken, creamy pasta dishes, Asian pork, chicken, and vegetable dishes, Asian vegetable salads, Mexican pork and chicken dishes and dishes with creamy sauces, yellow curries, Thai and Vietnamese food, and medium and creamy cheeses.
Petit Chablis 2020 (OF, NF)
This is an interesting Petit Chablis as 40 percent of the fruit is from younger vines in the Angst’s Chablis AOC vineyards. As such, the wine has a richness and minerality that distinguishes it from typical Petit Chablis wines. Aromas include mild citrus aromas such as lemon and lime, wildflower honey, and hints of honeydew melon, white peaches, and rich white flowers such as gardenia and narcissus. Flavors include lime zest, white grapefruit, pear, McIntosh apples, honeydew melon, and white peaches. There is a medium body but with a refreshing saturated feeling across the palate, good balance and acidity, and a refreshing minerally finish.
Food pairings would include crab, shrimp, sole, halibut, swordfish, calamari, seafood pasta and salads, veal, pork, chicken, cassoulet, Asian seafood, pork, and chicken dishes, Asian vegetable salads, Mexican pork and chicken dishes, enchiladas, chile verde, zesty creamy soups such as vichyssoise or broccoli soup, green salads, and mild to medium cheeses.
Chablis 2021 (OF, NF)
Aromas include white flowers, camellia, pear, and gareen apple. Flavors include really lush honeydew melon, pear, white peaches, and McIntosh apples. There is a medium body, good balance and acidity, and a full refreshing finish.
Food pairings would include sole, halibut, branzino, swordfish, shrimp, calamari, oysters, seafood pasta and salads, paella, veal, pork, grilled chicken, duck confit, grilled sausages, Asian and Mexican pork and chicken dishes, spicy appetizers, and medium to rich cheeses.
Chablis "Vau de Lune" 2021 (OF, NF)
This is a special cuvee made from vines of at least 30 years old in one of their vineyard parcels near Courgis. Aromas include white flowers, honeysuckle, jasmine, gardenia, narcissus, yellow roses, white grapefruit, white peaches, and hints of apricots and cherries. Flavors include white grapefruit, white peaches, honeydew melon, kiwi, and starfruit. There is a medium body but with a sense of richness, perfect balance and acidity, and a lush rich full finish.
Food pairings would include sole, crab, halibut, branzino, red snapper, swordfish, clams, calamari, oysters, seafood pasta and salads, veal chops, cutlets, and with creamy sauces, pork chops, tenderloin, and cutlets, baked chicken, creamy chicken dishes, pasta with creamy sauces, Asian pork, chicken, seafood, vegetable, and noodle dishes, Asian appetizers such as spring rolls and vegetable salads, Mexican pork, chicken, and seafood dishes, enchiladas, tostadas, green salads, and mild, medium, rich, and creamy cheeses.
Chablis Cote de Jouan Premier Cru 2020 (OF, NF)
Aromas include honeysuckle, jasmine, mild citrus, and white grapefruit. Flavors include honeydew melon, pear, white grapefruit, white peaches, and hints of cherries. There is a medium to full body, perfect balance and acidity, and a lush full finish with refreshing minerality.
Food pairings would include crab, shrimp, sole, halibut, turbot, sea bass, swordfish, clams, mussels, seafood pasta and salads, veal, pork, chicken, duck, cassoulet, paella, Asian and Mexican pork, chicken, and seafood dishes, green salads, and mild, medium, and creamy cheeses.
The wine is produced from very carefully selected grapes from 30 year old vines and is matured on its lees until bottling. I have a lot of experience aging Chablis and I think this wine will age very well for at least ten to 12 years.
