Jean-Marc Brocard, Chablis (Burgundy, France) 2020

 Chablis sits in the northernmost section of Burgundy in France’s northwest region, one of the chilliest places in France.  Because of its cold weather this region typically produces white wines with abundant acidity — crisp wines that tend to be less overtly fruity than Chardonnay from warmer regions.  Brocard’s Chablis is from the estate’s 30 year-old vines that grow in the calcareous soil known as Kimmeridge clay, which is composed mostly of limestone layered with seashells.  Other Kimmeridgian vineyard sites are found in several areas in the Burgundian wine region including Chablis, Pouilly, Sancerre and Champagne.  Chablis’s Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée was designated on January 13, 1938.  In this Chablis you may note the inviting aromatic presence of citrus, especially lemon, along with suggestions of other yellow fruits including peach.  It is a Chablis that is notably balanced and tangy, with no oaky distraction.