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Wine Chablis – the case when the name of the drink does not match the grape variety from which it is made. For the production of this dry white French wine with a strength of 9,5-14%, Chardonnay is used exclusively, and grown in certain terroirs (geographical zones), since the cool climate and calcareous soils around the city of Chablis (which gave the region its name) are of paramount importance in the formation of a recognizable taste .
Features
Light wine with high acidity and not very pronounced fruity notes. In the light – light yellow, with a tint of greens, has a refreshing effect, quenches thirst well in the heat. “Silicious” tones are woven into the rich bouquet of Chablis, sommeliers describe this golden wine with the term “candy”, they find in it the taste of freshly cut hay and green apples.
The Chablis region itself is the northernmost part of Burgundy, of all the wine-growing territories of France, only the provinces of Champagne and Alsace are located to the north. Chablis has a semi-continental climate: hot summers, long and harsh winters, frosts can last until May. The soil is rich in chalk. The Grand Cru and Premier Cru Chablis are mainly made from grapes grown on ancient Cimmerian clay beds, while Petit Chablis and regular Chablis come from younger Portland soil.
History
Wine production in this area originated during the Roman Empire, but winemaking began to develop only in the XII century under the Cistercian monks. The first mention of Chablis dates back to 1245, and already in the middle of the XNUMXth century, local wines were exported to Flanders and Picardy, and in the XNUMXth century to England. The favorable geographical location (not far from Paris, next to the navigable Serene River) provided Chablis with an almost complete monopoly in the capital’s market. In the documents of those times, there is a local name for the variety – Bonua.
The phylloxera epidemic that broke out at the end of the 40th century caused irreparable damage to the Chardonnay vineyards in the Chablis region, the area was reduced from 500 thousand hectares to only 1957, and only in the 1961st century, the previous volumes began to gradually recover. In addition, the development of the railway deprived the region of its leading position in the Parisian market, the loss of the monopoly also dealt a blow to the popularity of wine. In XNUMX and XNUMX, unusually strong (and untimely) frosts did not allow for good grape harvests, so Chablis could not recover from the blows inflicted by nature and history until the present day.
In 1938, the white wine of Chablis received the status of a name controlled by origin (AOC), and in 1978 the French government specified the boundaries of the region. This was necessary as there were many low-grade Chardonnay wines on the market, grown in the more southerly regions or even outside of France, and these drinks also bore the name “Chablis”. The introduction of AOC allowed the name to be protected and the quality guaranteed.
Production technology
The peculiarity of the production lies in the fact that historically Chablis wines have never been aged in oak barrels – first, vessels from another, less fragrant wood were used, then stainless steel containers. However, in the XNUMXth century, some winemakers decided to try this technique and got quite interesting results, so that today on the market you can find oak-aged Chablis with a recognizable vanilla flavor.
Increased acidity is often reduced by malolactic fermentation (malolactic fermentation). The essence of the procedure is as follows: the lactic acid bacteria Oenococcus oeni contained in the must convert the malic acid characteristic of all wines into a soft “lactic acid”. In the finished Chablis, you can feel the traces of fermentation – a slight aftertaste of butter. To start the process, the winemaker does not need to do anything: this is a natural step in the production of wine. However, on the contrary, often malolactic fermentation is artificially interrupted in order to preserve the deep and fragrant aroma of the drink, freshness.
Categories (types) of Chablis wines
In order of increasing richness and complexity of taste (as well as cost per bottle), there are 4 categories of Chablis:
- Pti Shabli (literally – “little chablis”). “Junior” category of wine, which received a separate category in 1944. A drink with the least complex bouquet and the highest acidity.
- Templates. The largest appellation in the region. The taste of wine is highly dependent on weather conditions and the location of the vineyard. One of the most worthy representatives of this category is Chablis Billaud-Simon Villages.
- Premier Cru. More than 40 vineyards belong. It is not customary to drink wines of the highest classes young – they should be stored in the wine cellar for at least 5 years, only then the taste is fully revealed. In the bouquet of wine you can already notice iodine, honey, flowering acacia, hazelnuts.
- Grand Cru. The best wines of the appellation. The category includes 7 vineyards located on the slope of one hill near the town of Chablis (Blanchot, Le Clos, Grenouille, Valmur, Bouguereau, Le Preuse, Vaudezir + Mouton, which is not officially considered a Grand Cru, but is in no way inferior in terms of quality). Each of the terroirs has a distinct personality and the wine is easy to recognize: Blanchot produces delicate Chablis with floral aromas, Le Clos produces complex wines with mineral flavors, and so on.
How to drink Chablis
Chablis is an excellent gastronomic pair with seafood, rabbit or poultry meat, fish, foie gras, soft cheeses, snails, asparagus, meats, salads.
The drink is cooled to 12-14 degrees and served in ordinary glasses for white wine – a wide bowl slightly tapering upwards on a high thin stem.
Famous manufacturers
You should start your acquaintance with Chablis with the following representatives of the variety: Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Grand Cru, products of La Chablisienne, Drouhin, Raveneau, Simmonet-Febre and other manufacturers.