$25
Your everyday, go-to wine!
A delicate nose with white flower, white pepper and citrus notes of lemon and grapefruit, on a flinty mineral background. The palate is lively, crisp, mineral-driven and pure.
Sustainable farming practices.
Pair with cheeses such as goat cheese, gouda and gruyere. This wine is also great with oysters, tartar, shrimp or this Summer Salmon Niçoise.
In Stock At our temperature controlled facility in Costa Mesa, CA
The De Oliveira Family emigrated from Portugal to Chablis at the early part of the 20th century, long before Chablis became famous as a winemaking region. The family found work in the local logging industry, and produced a bit of wine on the side. In the 1950s, his son Mr. De Oliveira began working in the vines for William Fèvre at the age of 14 years old. After ten years, he saved enough to purchase his first parcel of land – a mere 33 ares, and he planted his first vineyard. Over the years, he continued to purchase land and plant new vineyards, and in 1965, he began working full time at his own domaine which had grown to 7 hectares, and created the Domaine Oliveira Lecestre with his brother in law. At this time in Chablis, many winemakers did more than grow grapes, and the De Oliveiras were no exception. They raised cows, chickens and pigs around the family domaine in the morning and evening, and spent the weekends tending to the wheatfields. It wasn’t until the 1990s that Mr De Oliveira gave up polyculture to concentrate exclusively on winemaking.
Throughout the decades, the appellation of Chablis was slowly expanded, and Mr. De Oliveria judiciously purchased land that he could someday plant as Chablis (or even Premier Cru). Today the domaine encompasses 50 hectares of vines spread out over Petit Chablis (8 hectares), Chablis (35 hectares), Chablis Premier Cru (4.29 hectares), and Grand Cru (0.28 hectares).
The wines are vinified and aged exclusively in stainless steel tanks, and reflect the perfect typicity of Chablis. The Petit Chablis is particularly noteworthy, as it comes from vineyards located on the plateau just a stone’s throw from Les Clos Grand Cru.
Today Mr. De Oliveira is officially retired, but he continues to be an active presence at the domaine which is run by his son-in-law Benjamin Quevreux, daughter and granddaughter.
Get to know our winemakers, why we love them, and why it is more important than ever to support them.
As one of the most popular grapes for growing and consuming, Chardonnay can be made in a wide range of styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. These styles can vary from a sparkling Blanc de Blanc, or fresh fermented in stainless steel, to rich and creamy white wine aged in oak barrels. While Chardonnay can flourish in many environments, in its homeland of Burgundy it can produce some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. Whereas from California it can produce both oaky, buttery styles as well as leaner, European-inspired wines. A Somm secret: the Burguny subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style with high levels of acidity. Most people who do not like oaky/buttery Chardonnay may likely enjoy Chablis.
Notable regions for this grape include Burgundy (and Chablis) in France, Central Coast, Napa, and Sonoma in CA, and Western Australia.
When pairing with meals, consider the characteristics, flavors, and acidity of your food first. You always want to try to match the same characteristics and intensities with your wine. No brainer pairing options include seafood, salads, and white meat. Chardonnay, with its vast versatility, is everyone’s best friend.
An appellation in Burgundy and pristine style of wine all in itself. Chablis lies on the most-northern end of Burgundy, France where the weather is cool and the acidity is high. Fun fact about Chablis: the only grape varietal permitted in this region is Chardonnay. Chablis also has this special Kimmeridgean soil composed of limestone, clay, and fossilized oyster shells making these wines especially unique and a perfect pairing to drink with oysters and seafood! Chardonnay from Chablis can show pleasantly ripe, concentrated, citrus fruits with mouth-watering high acidity. Some producers age a portion of their wines in old oak to give them a rounder texture and relaxed flavor palate or keep the entire yield in stainless steel or concrete to preserve the pure fruit flavor. Chablis also has a vineyard hierarchy where the lesser/flatter lands may be labeled as Petit Chablis. The higher designated vineyard sites may be labeled as premier cru or grand cru. Age these beauties, or enjoy now with a full order of Oysters to share.