Despite the movement away from rich buttery Chardonnay, Chablis, home to the original unoaked Chardonnay, remains under-appreciated and under-priced. Superb village wines and Premier Cru Chablis are often under $30 a bottle. And while not cheap, there’s plenty of Grand Cru Chablis in the $60 – $75 a bottle range. Try to find those prices in the Côte de Beaune.
Indeed, I would argue it’s the world’s greatest wine bargain. And the 2008 vintage, one of the best in years and currently on the market, is a fabulous place for consumers to start.
Chablis, the northern-most outpost of Burgundy, gets it unique flavor profile from its location in what geologists call the Kimmeridgian Chain, which, in this locale, is composed of layers of chalky marl riddled with
fossilized oyster shells. The soil and climate seems to be perfectly suited to Chardonnay, the only grape allowed.
As with the rest of Burgundy, Chablis’ pedigree pyramid has at its pinnacle a Grand Cru vineyard, located on the north side of Serein River, which runs through the region. About 40 Premiers Crus, mostly located on the south side of the river, rank just below the Grand Cru followed by Village Chablis and finally Petit Chablis, which is only occasionally seen in the US.
The Grand Cru appellation is large (for a Grand Cru), comprising about 250 acres and is divided arbitrarily it seems (there are no natural boundaries) into seven distinct climats or vineyards, Blanchots, Bougros, Les Clos, Grenouilles, Preuses, Valmur and Vaudésir, whose name appears on the label. An eighth, La Moutonne, a monopole of Albert Bichot’s Domaine Long-Depaquit, includes a small portion of Vaudésir and Preuses.
The difference in exposure more than the soil composition seems to distinguish the Grand Cru from the rest. The vineyards on the north side have a steeper slope affording better drainage and a better angle to the sun than the Premier Cru vineyards on the south side of the river. But even within the Grand Cru vineyards, the exposure varies enormously, with some sections even facing north. Hence, not all the parcels of Les Clos, perhaps the most famed Grand Cru climat, for example, are equal. And this being Burgundy, some producers excel while others falter even given comparably exalted vineyards. The Burgundy mantra–producer, producer, producer–is especially important in Chablis.
The 2008 vintage produced outstanding Chablis at all levels. Even village Chablis shined showing vibrancy and alluring flinty minerality. As you progress up the prestige ladder, the wines gain ripeness, power and complexity without sacrificing their zesty quality and flintiness.
Not only is Chablis under-valued, there are a number of excellent producers there who make sufficient quantities so that the wines are readily available in the United States. Here are just three of them.
Although Maison Joseph Drouhin, one of Burgundy’s top négociants, is located in Beaune, almost half of their Domaine is in Chablis. They have used no new oak for aging any of their Chablis since the 2004 vintage. Their 2008s across the board are outstanding. As I’ve mentioned before, do not miss their village Chablis labeled Domaine Vaudon. At less than $30 a bottle, it’s an outstanding value.
Domaine William Fèvre took a giant step forward in 1998 when Joseph Henriot, who had just acquired Bouchard Père et Fils in Beaune, added it to his portfolio. Since then, they’ve reduced the extent of oak aging.
Continuing the trend of major Burgundy négociants acquiring vineyards in Chablis, Louis Latour purchased the Domaine Simmonet-Febrve. Their wines have also taken a leap forward. The Simmonet-Febrve 2008 Chablis Les Clos is tightly wound and a superb example of this vineyard.
Other recommended producers whose wines are less widely available include Domaine Barat (very well priced but sold exclusively by Garnet Liquors in New York City), Domaine Billaud-Simon, Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard, Domaine Jean Collet, Domaine Bernard Defaix, Domaine Jean Durup Père et Fils (a.k.a. Château de Maligny), La Chablisienne (one of the world’s best cooperatives), Domaine Long-Depaquit (owned by the Burgundy négociant Albert Bichot) Domaine Louis Michel, Domaine Christian Moreau, Domaine Servein, Domaine Tremblay, and Domaine Vocoret et Fils. This list is by no means comprehensive. So if you can’t find wines from these producers, ask your local retailer for a recommendation.
So there you have it. Chablis with its distinctly flinty or steely flavors is the original unoaked Chardonnay. The 2008 vintage is outstanding. They are well priced. Three reasons they’re perfect for summer’s seafood….
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