Chablis: from Petit Chablis to Grand Cru
Chablis is Chardonnay from the northern tip of Burgundy, grown on limestone and clay full of tiny fossil oyster shells. The cool climate gives a crisp, mineral white with green apple and citrus – usually made with little or no new oak, which sets it apart from the richer Chardonnays of the Côte de Beaune further south.
Chablis comes at four levels. Petit Chablis is the lightest and simplest; Chablis is the classic everyday bottle; Chablis Premier Cru comes from some forty named vineyards, among them Montée de Tonnerre, Fourchaume, Vaillons and Montmains; and Chablis Grand Cru from seven slopes on one hill above the town: Blanchot, Bougros, Les Clos, Grenouilles, Preuses, Valmur and Vaudésir.
What to look for
- Premier Cru is often the sweet spot: noticeably deeper than village Chablis for a modest step up in price.
- Grand Cru needs time – five years or more – and often sees some oak. Les Clos is usually the most powerful and long-lived.
- Drink young Petit Chablis and Chablis within a few years of the vintage; good Premier Crus keep five to ten years.
- The producer counts as much as the vineyard: compare the same wine across shops before you buy, and check the vintage, which changes from year to year.
