A magnum always looks impressive. Delicate, mouthwatering but not green, wonderfully pristine. Distinctly virginal.

Claude Chevalier is based in the village of Montallery, about 8km west of the town of Chablis. At a time when many Chablis producers are trying to make their wines more in the style of the Cote de Beaune, and using oak on their basic level wines, it is good to come across incisive, pure Chablis such as that produced here. Claude's straight Chablis spends all its time in stainless steel for precisely that reason; to preserve the minerality which sets it apart. The Premier Cru wines do see some oak, though it is beautifully managed so that the fruit still shines through.