Domaine Servin should be on every Chablis-lover’s radar screen. It’s one of the oldest wineries in in the region, it has one of the largest vineyard holdings, and it makes damn fine wines.
Marc Cameron.
The Servin family has roots in Chablis going back to the 1600s. Over the decades the family and its various members have been involved in winemaking, vineyard work, and even barrel cooperage. Today the Domaine is in the hands of François Servin, a direct descendant of those original pioneers of viticulture in this area. François is capably assisted by Marc Cameron, the Domaine’s export manager. Marc moved to Chablis from his native Australia, to work with Servin almost 27 years ago. Marc was our host for the afternoon we spent at Servin, tasing and learning more about the winery’s history.
The Servin winery and tasting room are situated on the main street of the extremely charming town of Chablis.
The 2023 vintage in barrel.
We were there in early November, harvest was finished, and all the grapes were sorted and fermenting away in tanks and barrels. We seemed to be the only “tourists” in town for our week there as Chablis had a lovely quiet about it, with just locals in the bakeries and restaurants we visited. If there is even a single traffic light in Chablis, we didn’t notice it.
Marc is clearly very passionate about wine. In addition to handling exports (over 80% of Domaine Servin’s production leaves France) Marc assists Francois with the winemaking at Servin as well as having his own small label. Our tour at Servin consisted largely of Marc taking us through the winery and the barrel room, tasting some barrel samples, and then finishing it all off with a tasting of Servin’s current lineup.
Old vines in Chablis.
Domaine Servin has 36 hectares of vineyard land in Chablis, making it one of the larger landowners within the appellation. Most of the vines on these plots are now older than 40 years old. Older vines are prized within the wine world. They have root systems that have grown deep and this is beneficial to survival in hotter, drier vintages that have become the norm, even in this cooler climate region. Older vines often produce more complex wines and can have greater concentration resulting from their lower vigour and productivity.
Tasting through the excellent lineup.
Servin produces wines from all 4 classifications within the Chablis appellation: Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis Premier Cru and Chablis Grand Cru. We tasted through their line up and were impressed with all levels.
Clearly Servin puts time and attention to detail to all of its wines, not just the show ponies of Premier Cru and Grand Cru. They have a single Petit Chablis as is the custom for all the houses in Chablis. Petit Chablis (the Chablisienne often just refer to it as “Petit”) is the lowest classification and vineyards designated as such are typically found on the flat lands and/or with aspects facing north or east.
The renown Kimmeridgian soil in Chablis
Another feature of Petit Chablis is the predominance of Portlandian soils, a limestone-based soil from a younger era. A Domaine’s Petit Chablis is usually a blend of many such vineyards. Moving up the quality scale is the Chablis designation. These vineyards might have similar locations as the Petit vineyards and will likely have a similar limestone-based soil, but more from the older Kimmeridgian era. Kimmeridgian soils are the most sought after in the region and produce wines of greater minerality.
When you get to the Chablis class and above at Servin, you will notice that there is a difference in their viticulture from most of their neighbours. The tradition in Chablis, and many other wine regions across the globe, is to plant vineyard plots with a particular clone of that grape.
Servin Premier Cru Chablis from Montée de Tonnerre.
Clones are created by taking bud material from a specific vineyard and then propagating it at a nursery and then selling the young vines to growers to be planted in their own vineyards. Selection Massale is taking bud material from existing vines and then propagating that vine in its home vineyard. Marc and Francois have compared sections of their vineyards planted to clones with those planted to Selection Massale and they believe Selection Massale makes the better wine.
Marc Cameron.
Their Chablis is from their Les Pargues vineyard on the Left Bank, near Pehray close to the river Serein. Planted in the Selection Massale with vines averaging 46 years of age. This is definitely a premier pick among Chablis level wines. When the 4 classifications were created, originally Les Pargues was going to be designated Premier Cru but when the final classifications were made, Les Pargues was left out of the Premier Cru classification.
Moving up in quality are the Chablis Premier Cru. This accounts for only 15% of the vineyard land in the Chablis region. There are 40 named plots that are designated Premier Cru. Servin makes Premier Cru wines from some of the best (and our favourites) including Montee de Tonnerre, Vaillons and Buttreaux.
The view from the top of Grand Cru hill.
At the top of the quality scale are seven contiguous hillside vineyards on the Right Bank of the Serein overlooking the town of Chablis. These 7 vineyards account for only 5% of the vineyard land in Chablis and they are each highly revered in the area. Servin makes wine from 4 of them: Les Clos, Blanchots, Bugros and Les Preuses. Rare and expensive, these top wines will sit proud on a table with any white wines from around the world.
Servin has all the good that we learned are required to make high quality chardonnay: great vineyard sites, respect for the land and understanding of how to get the best from it, a combination of tradition with innovation and a great passion for wine.
Tasting Notes
2022 Domaine Servin Petit Chablis
2022 Domaine Servin Petit Chablis
This was one of the better Petit Chablis we encountered while we were in the region. While it had all the freshness and youthfulness characteristic of a Petit, it also had more roundness to compete with the acidity and create a bit more tension. Flavours of apple and citrus come across in a medium body. Made to be enjoyed now it will be great with simple appetizers, particularly on a warm day.
Very Good+
2021 Domaine Servin Chablis
This took the quality level up and was also one of the best in its classification. This wine had a terrific minerality as well as a great intensity of flavours. This is the kind of wow factor seldom seen below the Premier Cru designation. Focused, with plenty of fruit that gains more complexity from the wet stone nuances. A long finish that introduces hints of lemon zest.
Very Good/Excellent
2021 Domaine Servin Premier Cru Les Butteaux
2021 Domaine Servin Premier Cru Les Butteaux
Butteaux is a Premier Cru vineyard located on the Left Bank of the Serein River. Juicy apple flavours are delivered with medium acidity on a medium body. Great balance is shown with both texture and linearity making their presence felt. This results in a terrific mouthfeel. Excellent
2021 Domaine Servin Premier Cru Montée de Tonnerre
Montée de Tonnerre is across the Serein on the Right Bank, the first vineyard west of the Grand Cru hill. It has special status among the Premier Cru vineyards and this wine clearly shows why. The flavours are apple with hints of citrus and after a bit of air, pear notes show through. The texture is the perfect counterpart to the racy acidity. This has a wonderful mineral streak which keeps grabbing the attention. After some time in the glass those hints of oyster shell makes themselves known. A really terrific Montée de Tonnerre. This has great aging potential. Excellent+
2021 Domaine Servin Grand Cru Blanchot
2021 Domaine Servin Grand Cru Blanchot
Not far from Montée de Tonnerre is Blanchots, the western-most of the 7 Grand Cru vineyards. Blanchot is steep and has sidehills that face southwest, unlike the rest of the Grand Crus that face due south. Blanchot always has, to our palates, a touch more elegance, a touch more finesse than the other Grand Crus. The primary apple and lime notes are supported by a streak of minerality that provides complexity and focus. The structure of the wine is “just right”, showing a balance that rests right on the fulcrum. This wine can be enjoyed now but will further evolve in a cold cellar for a decade or more. Excellent+
2021 Domaine Servin Grand Cru Les Clos
2021 Domaine Servin Grand Cru Les Clos
If there is one Grand Cru that would have status above the others, it would be Les Clos. Known for its power and full body, Les Clos always impresses. And Servin’s Les Clos is among the best of them. This is a bigger wine but manages to maintain its Chablisienne character. (With warming conditions, maintain that character is very much on the minds of all the vignerons that we spoke with.) Powerful and intense, with pear and apple notes and a lovely saline streak that joins the wet stones that make up the supporting notes. A lovely long and satisfying finish completes the tasting experience. A stunner. Excellent/Extraordinary
2005 Domaine Servin Premier Crus Les Forets
2005 Domaine Servin Premier Crus Les Forets
As a special treat Marc opened a bottle of the 2005 Les Forets, a Premier Cru vineyard on the Left Bank of the Serein. This 18 year old showed just how capable of long ageing that Chablis can be. Medium gold in colour, this was several shades darker than any of the previous wines. Bottle age endowed this wine with great complexity as well as a roundness and a generosity. Notes of caramel and forest floor showed the age of the wine. Yet there was plenty of fruit and a good, linear structure. This wine still had time to go! An absolute treat to taste and to learn first hand about the ageing ability of top quality Chablis. Excellent/Extraordinary
Inside the barrel room.
20 Avenue d Oberwesel, 89800 Chablis
T: +33 3 86 18 90 00
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