Chablis Wine Notes — 13/11/2007

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Chablis & the Yonne

Chablis lies at the very northern extreme of Burgundy in the Yonne department but it is one of the high points of white wine in France. Vines have been grown here since the Roman days, but it was in medieval times that it had its first heyday, as the river to Paris gave access to a ready market. These days Chablis is made mainly for export. As much as 80% of the wine goes overseas. UK is the biggest market. USA, Belgium and the Far East are important too.

When we started visiting Chablis back in ‘87 it was a village strangely at war with itself. Growers against négociants, those who used oak against those who were opposed to it, those who wanted to expand the vineyards, versus those who wanted to keep the status quo. Now it’s all prosperous and quiet. The expansion happened, and the oak was OK in moderation as long as the wines had concentration. Conservatives now often sport those controversial premier crus, and 'stainless steel only' producers seem to have the odd old vine cuvée made in oak. Perhaps as the cake got bigger they stopped fighting over it.

Chablis is not the most attractive Chardonnay wine ‘to drink’, but it is quite magnificent with food. The French are quite right to insist that there is a difference. However they are wrong about the food that works with Chablis. Locally, they insist on pairing it with charcuterie. Noooo! Fish, Oysters, perhaps Lobster with Grand Cru....... (OK, it can cut through the fat of salami, but I still think they are missing the whole point of it!)

No other French region has more ‘weather’ than Chablis, with hard winters, spring frosts, hail and the odd autumn deluge. It's no easy life growing the grapes, it's lucky it's easy to sell the wine! Vintages are still important here, not in the sense of good and bad, more in the style that they give. Hotter years bring richer wines, perhaps with almost tropical flavours, cooler and wetter years remaining classically steely. See Burgundy Vintage Notes.

The Vineyards of Chablis

The wines of Chablis reflect this cool climate, which along with the local soils of limestone, add a steely, mineral edge to the wines. The wines are classified into four quality levels. Here is a some information about them:

Petit Chablis: This is from hilltop vineyards and north-facing slopes. The subsoil is hard Portlandian Limestone. Petit Chablis is generally thin and acidic, except in hot years when it is 'pretty'.

Chablis: Village Chablis can be delightful, crisp, and refined. It is fine for it to be steely, but it should not be mean. Look out for 'vielles vignes' (old vine) cuvées which are usually a cut above the rest. Soils are Jurassic era limestones, mostly Kimmeridgian.

Chablis Premier Cru: Though there are 40 Premier Cru vineyards, in reality around 12 names appear on labels. Fourchaume and Montée de Tonnerre are the most reputed and the most similar to the Grand Crus. Beauroy, Vaillons and Montmains are several good ones that you’ll come across quite often. In hot years they can be quite exotic. Vau de Vey and Vau Ligneau are two relatively new crus. They were controversial but as the vines age their quality becomes more apparent. All these wines can be lovely, with good concentration, some ageing capacity, but drinkable young. Soils are Kimmeridgian limestone.

Chablis Grand Cru: There are 7 Grand crus, capable of giving quite outstanding wines. They are often a bit dumb when young but age beautifully. We recently drank an ‘85, - lovely - still too young! Vaudésirs and Les Clos are reputed to be the most ‘serious’, Les Preuses and Valmur are high on the slope, and Bougros and Grenouilles are low and sometimes described as ‘ripe’, ‘full’ or ‘easier’. Blancot completes the list. Soils are Kimmeridgian limestone.

The rest of the Yonne

*Tonnerre *with its soils being partly of Oxfordian limestone (similar to the Cote de Beaune), gives white wines with a little more 'fat' than those of Chablis. As the vineyards age so the wines are gaining in intensity and aging potential. Good value at the moment and one to watch. The soils contain Oxfordian limestone similar to the Côte de Beaune.

Tonnerre-Epineuil. Epineuil is a small village near Tonnerre which has been replanted recently and is given over largely to red. I regret I have never visited a domaine here.

Irancy is a red village in a sea of white wine. It supplies a local need, but outside the region is misunderstood and overlooked. The best cru is the south facing 'Côte Palotte', which used to be under 'Bourgogne' appellation but is now sold as Irancy Côte Palotte. This wine has an inky power and not much charm when young and ages well. 'Les Mazelots' and 'Paradis' are the best slopes from within the Irancy bowl, and have more finesse and perfume. Irancy is subject to vintage variation but not quite as much as one would imagine. There are several good growers here who make pretty good wine and the Irancy 'bowl' is a warm and protected site. Very little Irancy is exported, though prices are good. Soils are Kimmeridgian limestone. The appellation rules allow a little of an ancient local variety called César to be blended in with the Pinot Noir.

In the past quite a lot of Rosé was made here which is of course drunk chilled. (This may be why Irancy Rouge too is often served chilled in France).

Côtes de Auxerre: The vineyards vary quite considerably and are spread over the villages around Auxerre and there are even some within the city itself. There are some decent looking slopes and most growers will do several cuvées. Special or 'old vine' cuvées are not much more expensive than regular wines but are likely to be much more interesting. Both red (Pinot Noir) and white (Chardonnay) are made. Soils are Jurassic era limestones, including Kimmeridgian especially around Chitry and St Bris.

St Bris (formerly Sauvignon de St Bris). St Bris is one of the best Côtes de Auxerre villages and the vineyards for the Sauvignon are very similar to the Petit Chablis vineyards being mostly north facing and on Portlandian limestone. - This is a very good use for them, and I have to say that I have much more time for Sauvignon de St Bris than I do for Petit Chablis. Much, even most Sauvignon de St Bris goes through at least partial malolactic, and some is barrel fermented.

*Other Villages: *Coulanges-la-Vineuse, Chitry, Côte Saint-Jacques (Joigny) and Vézelay all have village appellations. Coulanges-la-Vineuse has a historic reputation, and with some 130 ha is not inconsiderable. Vézelay is very interesting too and has produced some very good wines over the past few years. (These villages are planted largely with Pinot and Chardonnay).

Regional Appellations: Bourgogne Blanc, Rouge and Rosé, Cremant de Bourgogne, Bourgogne Aligoté and Bourgogne Passe-touts-grains (made with Pinot and Gamay) are also made. Theoretically the Cremant would be the best of these, the region being so close to Champagne, but I have found that it often misses the mark. Strangely the Aligoté can be very good here, especially in warm years. Of course in a cold year you are probably risking the tooth enamel by having anything to do with it!