Climbing Up Through Chablis

Chablis 1997 (Marks & Spencer, £9)

Chablis 1997 (Marks & Spencer, £9). Well made by the excellent La Chablisienne co-op (see below), this is a really tempting version at a brilliant price.

Chablis, Duroy-Latour 1999 (SuperValus/Centras from next week, £9.99). This special label for SuperValu from classy producer Pascal Bouchard sits at the ultra-crisp end of the spectrum. Decent value.

Les Domaines Chablis Vieilles Vignes, La Chablisienne, 1996 (Terroirs, Donnybrook; Morton's, Ranelagh; Magic Carpet, Cornelscourt; Jus de Vine, Portmarnock; Le Caveau, Kilkenny and other outlets, usually about £11.95; also in many restaurants including Conrad Hotel; King Sitric, Howth; Cooper's Bistros, Butler Arms, Waterville). Another cracker from the co-op, with lovely, ripe, honey-streaked fruit.

Chablis St Martin, Domaine Laroche 1999 (Bennett's, Howth; Londis, Malahide; Thomas's, Foxrock; Higgins, Clonskeagh; Mill, Maynooth; Old Stand, Mullingar; Galvin's, Cork, usually about £13.50; also in many restaurants including Chapter One; Trinity College; Aqua, Howth; Brasserie na Mara, Dun Laoghaire). Young, fresh and stunning. See Bottle of the Week.

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Chablis Champs Royaux, Domaine William Fevre 1998 (Molloy's branches; Redmond's, Ranelagh; Vaughan Johnson's, Temp le Bar; Terry's, Limerick; Wine Warehouse, Dunshaughlin and other outlets, usually about £14.99; also in restaurants including Clarence Hotel; Shelbourne Hotel; Blueberry's, Blackrock; Chez Hans, Cashel; Le Chateau, Athlone). With Bouchard Pere et Fils at the helm, Fevre is now a name to seek out, for balanced wines with penetrating freshness.

Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons, Billaud-Simon 1998 (Berry Bros, £19.95). Among the most impressive names at the Chablis tasting, Billaud-Simon makes wines of wonderful purity and length. This one will be better still in a year or two.

Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos, Pascal Bouchard 1997 (restaurants only: Cruzzo, Malahide; Icon Centre, Leopardstown; Hunter's Hotel, Wicklow; Adare Manor, Co Limerick, wine list price £60-70). Rich and pungent, with mineral tones and mouthwatering acidity, this was a dazzler at the Union des Grands Crus tasting marathon. Still a baby, though.