Domaine Testut Chablis Grenouille Grand Cru 2018 (750ML)

Note: from a .32 ha parcel; note that Testut uses a different spelling for the vineyard as they do not use the more typical "Grenouilles"
Producer note: Cyril Testut is the latest generation of his family to run this 13 ha domaine. Their involvement in Chablis proceeded in fits and starts as it began in 1967 with the purchase of the Château de Grenouilles. The Testut clan grew the domaine to an impressive 60 ha before leaving Chablis in 1974 though importantly, when it decamped it did not sell the vineyards. Internal strife as to what to do with such an important holding finally led to the sale of most, but not all, of the vineyards in 1978 to a syndicate of local owners who ultimately chose to have it administered by the huge local cooperative known as La Chablisiènne (see herein). Cyril's father however had a passion for Chablis and its wines and elected to return to the region in 1982. At that point though, he had no base of operations and precious few vineyards and basically had to start over from scratch. He slowly expanded the domaine and Cyril joined in 1990 to help his father. Between 1982 and 1997 most of the wine was sold to négociants but the 1998 vintage marked the point where the domaine began to bottle most of its production; today approximately 90% of it is sold under the Domaine Testut name.—Allen Meadows, Burghound