There is Chablis and then there is Chablis! Only a rare few present that timeless combination of old vines within exceptional, family-run vineyards.
I have known Marie-Ange Robin for more than thirty years, and her family Domaine has been our principal Chablis supplier for much of that time. All good things must come to an end, so her call last year to say she was stepping back from winemaking brought with it a sense of the passing of time, but also a burning curiosity. What next for the Robin vineyards?
Fortunately, this particular Chablis story is ripe with optimism.
Marie-Ange's connection to the vineyards began almost before she could walk. In the late 1950s and 60s, she watched her parents plant vines by hand in some of Chablis' finest Premier Cru and Grand Cru vineyards.
It was a brave time to plant. Chablis was enduring severe temperatures – both meteorologically and economically. Night frosts and high costs meant many growers were abandoning their vineyards. Marie-Ange's father, Guy Robin, did the opposite, gradually acquiring and planting parcels that became Domaine Guy Robin et Fils. Those same vines are still being harvested today.
Marie-Ange initially chose a different path, becoming a successful fine art dealer in Paris. But when her father became ill in the early 2000s, she faced a choice: stay in the city, or return home and take responsibility for the family business.
She chose to become the fourth generation of her family to work the vineyards.
That continuity is increasingly unusual in an area as high-profile and valuable as Chablis, where many estates are absorbed into larger concerns. The Robin vineyards are a wonderful exception — and the wines are a fine example of ‘why’ that matters.
In 2025, after decades of harvests, Marie-Ange decided to retire. Selling the vineyards was never an option; she wanted to preserve what her family had created while finding the right person to take it forward.
Enter Lucie Depuydt, an old friend who was born in the region and spent almost two decades as head winemaker and oenologist at J. Moreau et Fils. She combines an intimate knowledge of Chablis with formidable technical expertise.
Marie-Ange brings her family's mature Premier Cru and Grand Cru vines. Lucie brings the winemaking expertise to release everything that is so special about those grapes. The result is the magical Maison Regain. Regain is the fresh growth that returns after the first harvest.
As you know, my primary concern interests is what ends up in the glass! And I am delighted to share that this Chablis is outstanding to drink and (quelle surpise!) we have secured an allocation of the first Maison Regain wines, arriving next month.
The 2024 Chablis ‘Vieilles Vignes’ at £23.50 p/b is a particularly tempting introduction to Maison Regain. Generous on the nose with fresh peach aromas and hints of marzipan, and the palate showcases the true typicity of Chablis with citrus freshness overlaying the wine’s chalky, mineral backbone. A charming balance of creaminess with a long finish.
The 2024 Chablis Premier Cru ‘Vaillons’, at £29.95 p/b A subtle aroma of lemon cream hints at the richness that lies beneath this wine, whilst its minerality shines through on the palate with notes of flint and lime. Lengthy maturation of around 15 months in barrel allows complexity to develop resulting in a long lasting finish.
And then there is the 2024 Chablis Grand Cru ‘Valmur’, at £59.95 p/b — a wine from one of the great Grand Cru slopes overlooking Chablis, and one to put away if you possess sufficient self-control. I suspect some bottles may not make it past the start of the rugby season! Barrel aged on lees for 16 months, this exceptional wine offers notes of toasted hazelnuts and caramelised fruits combined with vibrant lemon and pink grapefruit flavours, underpinned by a delicious chalky acidity that gives remarkable length. Overall, a perfectly balanced crafting of richness, complexity and freshness
All Prices are ex VAT
There is also one final chance to buy a piece of the old story. We have just 20 cases remaining of Marie-Ange's final 2023 Domaine Guy Robin Chablis Premier Cru ‘Vaillons’, at £29.95p/b
Once it is gone, it really is the end of an era!
After more than thirty years of knowing Marie-Ange and her wines, I am delighted that this isn't quite goodbye. It is a new chapter in a remarkable family story.
Please do get in touch if you’d like to put in an order.
À votre santé,
John
