Domaine des Malandes - Chablis "Les Malandes"

Have you noticed that almost every day in June 2026 has delivered an epic sports memory? This month kicked off with a treacherously thrilling French Open, followed by cyclist Jonas Vingegaard's Giro d’Italia masterclass. Next up: The Stanley Cup and Wimbledon! Peak adrenaline moments like these demand a wine that lifts the spirits while also keeping one’s mind razor sharp. What’s the obvious first choice? Chablis, of course! And today we’re offering my current favorite Chablis heartthrob: 2023 “Les Malandes”. If you want to feel more awake, more present, and more excited to watch sports or enjoy your next social outing - trust me, this is your bottle.

I was taking out the recycling a few days ago when I realized I was carrying no less than FOUR different, empty bottles of Chablis from Domaine des Malandes. Malandes isn’t a stratospherically priced Chablis “icon” (yet?) - but with conversion to organic farming and a leveling up with cellar technique during the last 5-10 years, the wines have taken a pronounced leap in quality. As a result, this family estate has become a real personal go-to when I’m seeking elite Grand Cru and 1er Cru real estate, and Chablis’ inimitable terroir and style - without cratering my next credit card statement. Because, at least here in California, Domaine des Malandes’ wines are imported by a few different one- and two-person “micro importers” - versus multiple tiers of brokers, importers, distributors and sales agents, as is most often the case with top tier Chablis. So, by trimming all the bureaucratic fat, we’re able to offer this wine for not much more than it would cost overseas - and that’s something to which we should all raise a glass.

Domaine des Malandes is a classic Chablissiene family success story, rooted in generations of hand-viticulture, and shaped into a respected, leading estate by Lyne Marchive, who founded the domaine in the 1970s and became one of the pioneering women of modern Burgundy. Across decades of gradual expansion, challenging frosts, and changing market conditions, Lyne steadily built Malandes into one of the region’s most respected producers, assembling an outstanding collection of Petit Chablis, Chablis, Premier Cru (Fourchaume, Montmains, Montée de Tonnerre, etc) and Grand Cru (Vaudesir and Les Clos) vineyards while earning a reputation for wines that combine precision, purity, and a transparent expression of Chablis’ famed Kimmeridgian limestone soils. Today, the estate has passed to Lyne’s children, Amandine Marchive and Richard Rottiers, who continue to honor their mother’s vision while guiding the domaine into a new era focused on skilled cellar technique and organic farming. Supported by longtime winemaker Guénolé Breteaudeau, Amandine and Richard have maintained the estate’s hallmark style, while ensuring that Domaine des Malandes remains what it has always been at heart: a family-run Chablis estate built on hard work, patience, and a deep commitment to future generations..

The stainless steel tank-fermented 2023 Domaine des Malandes Chablis “Les Malandes” shimmers a pale straw-gold in the glass, flashing hints of silver at the rim. Aromas of yellow apple, Meyer lemon, Bosc pear, crushed oyster shell, and fresh-cut chalk leap from the glass with remarkable purity and energy. On the palate, it is brisk and beautifully sculpted, its vibrant acidity carrying layers of citrus zest, orchard fruit, and saline minerality across a sleek, precise frame before a long, mouthwateringly lengthy and satisfying finish. Serve at 52°F in a medium-sized Burgundy glass to fully capture its aromatic complexity and textural nuance. Today, it is a dream companion to a “luxury tailgate snack” of crisp potato chips topped with crème fraîche and caviar, where the wine’s electric freshness amplifies every salty, creamy bite. And while it is certainly irresistibly bright and life-affirming today, this is unmistakably a Malandes wine, which means that over the next 4–5 years it will grow deeper, richer, and even more satisfying as its youthful exuberance evolves into greater breadth, texture, and complexity. So, grab a few bottles for near term revelry - but I encourage you to stash a few for the future as well.