The Béru family’s 12-acre clos dates to the 13th century. With an ideal exposure of south (two-thirds) and southwest (one-third), the chardonnay vines are raised in what some consider to be premier cru-quality terroir. But France being France, or perhaps more fairly, bureaucrats being bureaucrats regardless of provenance, the family has not successfully pleaded its case for the step up in classification. Maybe it's for the best. For consumers, anyway, because this wine packs premier cru punch at slightly more than entry-level Chablis price. 

The ’06 Clos Béru shows juicy apple and lemon notes buoyed by a briny freshness. Pair it with rich fish and chicken dishes, as well as tangy cheeses.

The 2006 was fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks. By doing so, Athénaïs is going against the grain (sorry) by not having her family's signature wine dressed up in oak. However, starting with the 2008 vintage, Clos Béru has been doing its aging in barrel. The change appears to be more a function of getting a feel for the vines as they age and their location within the walled monopole. After all, the family has only resumed winemaking under its own name very recently.

The wine spends 12-14 months on its lees. Bâtonnage (gentle stirring of the lees) takes place after the primary and secondary (a/k/a malolactic) fermentations, and thereafter once a month at most but never during the winter. (For more detailed explanation of bâtonnage, lees and malolactic fermentation, please check out the 2007 Chablis entry.)

10 cases imported for New York

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Royal Wine Merchants for $35/bottle

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