3rd December 2020 | Cork Talk
Ask most wine lovers what their favourite classic French white is and there is a good chance their reply will be Chablis. A crisp style of white with unmistakable minerality, it’s hard to beat this Burgundy beauty. Made using only one grape variety, in one region, Chablis is as pure as they come, adding a touch of class to any dinner table it graces.
Chablis, the town, is traditional and unassuming. It has a true artisanal atmosphere, and lives for the vineyards surrounding it and the wines they produce.
Nestled in the River Serein valley, it benefits from its proximity to the water, meaning vineyards are never starved of rainfall – even in the driest months. One grape variety in particular has become king of the vineyard in this unique climate that’s unlike anywhere else in Burgundy (or Bourgogne, in French), producing a white wine style that is now synonymous with Chablis the world over.
Chablis, the wine, is 100% Chardonnay. That is the only grape variety permitted by the appellation, and it is in this region that this grape finds its purest expression. Chardonnay grown in this area produces fresh and elegant wines with delicate aromas of white flower and citrus, followed by citrus, pear and a flinty minerality on the palate. You’ll find a long finish and crisp acidity, thanks to the cool climate in which it’s grown, and it’s this acidic quality that makes it an incredibly good wine to pair with food.
Being so bright and fresh, Chablis works well with a wide variety of snacks and dishes – especially seafood. Think pan-fried scallops with a zest of orange, a plate of fresh oysters or poached salmon. Chablis is a great balance for many stronger flavours too though, even pairing wonderfully with a hearty curry, pungent cheeses, and being one of the few wines that works well with asparagus and eggs.
Chablis is the northernmost area of Burgundy (Bourgogne), not too far from Champagne. The climate is cool and the grapes ripen slowly, bringing wines of great balance and freshness. The Serein River running through the valley divides the steep vineyard slopes into a right and left bank, each side having different micro-climates and exposures. Each bank having its own style.
There are four levels of wine within the hierarchy of Chablis: Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru and Chablis Grand Cru. On the single slope of Grand Cru vineyards alone there are seven different “Climats”, all expressing a distinct and different personality of their own.
So, what makes Chablis so unique? It’s the terroir. The subsoil here is known as Kimmeridgean, and it dates all the way back to the Jurassic period 150 million years ago. The terroir is made up of fossils from the ocean that once covered it, which, when combined with the cool, fresh climate, gives Chablis wine its complexity, structure and famous steely/ flint character.
It’s this terroir that means no other Chardonnay in the world can be like Chablis. One grape variety we’re all familiar with, yet in a style that’s so distinctly different to any other Chardonnay you’ve tried. A true expression of the area of the world it’s from, and unmistakably Chablis.
“Chablis is Chardonnay but not every Chardonnay is Chablis” – Rosemary George, UK Wine Writer and Master of Wine.
