Monday, July 24, 2017

Sebastien Dampt Takes a Big Step Forward in 2016 - Our most Popular Chablis - His 1er Cru Cote de Lechet - Under $26

This Is Our Sixth Vintage of Dampt Cote de Lechet 
 - It's Our Most Popular Chablis for a Reason - Everybody Loves It
You All Must Think Sebastien is 40-50 Years Old - But He's Still a Kid and Getting Better
 - And 2016 Was a Big Jump Year - Longer Ageing Made This A Much Better Wine
 - He's Graduating from Really, Really Good to Closing in on the Elites

 - a "Whoa" Wine


I knew from the first sip years ago that I loved Sebastien Dampt's wines.  They have always been terroir specific and perfectly made but also so drinkable and delicious. And everyone who' has had them agrees with me. But as I arrived at Dampt this year, things seemed different. Superficially, we had a lovely tasting in his brand new, gorgeous tasting room that has a 360 degree view of all the Chablis vineyards.  

But more importantly, the wines all took a major step forward. And I don't mean because of the vintage. Sebastien aged the wines longer in both the tank/egg and the bottle.  The result is that the wines all have more structure, volume and complexity to go with his traditional balance and drinkability.

Quick Vintage Note: 2016 was rough for the growers because of hail but the wines are very good, along the classic lines of 2014. Quantities are down, which stinks for the growers, (and I had to reduce margins a bit to compensate for a price increase) but we've got a good allocation so it's all good.

I am thrilled to offer our sixth vintage of the classic 2016 Sebastien Dampt 1er Cru Cote de Lechet for $25.99 a bottle on a 4-pack. Man is this a smoking bottle of Lechet. The nose is classic Lechet aromas of mineral, seashells and lemon zest with terrific complexity. The palate is just nuts.  Really incredible and powerful lemon and lime fruits just intertwine with the classic and powerful seashell minerality.  Incredible concentration and the deepest Lechet I've ever had. Super juicy and awesomely intense. Really intense. If you leave it in your mouth, it almost feels like its alive and almost pushing at the corners of your mouth trying to escape.  You can feel the additional depth in the wine trying just screaming its presence.  Awesome classic Chablis acids. The palate tingles and pumps juicy seashell complexity with a refined delivery. Really elegant. Lemon lime seashell saline finish that keeps on going. Oh man I can taste it now. It's young. That is for sure. Totally awesome Lechet. I see this aging very well. Inquire about case prices. 

Some of the vines from this bottling were planted in 1937! It was bottled in March of 2017. That is very late. Longest elevage ever for this wine. He also racked this wine after malolactic fermentation because there were many fine lees in the wine and he only wanted to keep the best lees so he had to rack early. 

2016 Sebastien Dampt Chablis 1er Cru Cote de Lechet - $27.99 
($103.96 4-pack)


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