Chablis Flashcards
Where is Chablis AOC situated?
110 km northwest of Dijon in the Serein river valley around the town of Chablis.
What is the climate in Chablis compared to the Côte d’Or?
Cooler
What style of wine is Chablis known for?
Dry, medium bodied, medium alcohol wines with zesty acidity made from Chardonnay. They usually show aromas of green apple and lemon fruit. The general trend is for minimal or no oak, though premiers and grands cru wines may be fermented and aged in oak.
What is the range of quality and price for Chablis wines?
Good to outstanding quality with mid- to premium pricing (and a few super-premium)
Describe the popularity of Chablis AOC wines over time.
Interest has been mercurial. A boom in the early 19th century due to the region’s proximity to Paris saw vineyards in the Yonne departément reach 40,000 ha, though the impact of phylloxera and powdery mildew, railways built throughout France, depopulation following World War I, and a devastating frost in 1945 led to a low point of 500 ha under vine.
Chablis AOC currently has 5,500 ha planted to grapes due to demand for its wines.
What is the climate in Chablis?
Continental with cold winters and warm summers
What are some of the concerns growers in Chablis have due to the climate there?
Chardonnay can sometimes have difficulty ripening in the cool climate
Frosts and hail storms before and during the growing season can damage vines and affect yields
The climate is moist, leading to fungal and other disease pressure
How much rainfall does Chablis receive? When does the rain usually fall?
670mm annual rainfall on average spread throughout the growing season, creating a moist climate
What type of soils does Chablis sit on?
Limestone and clay soils. The older soils with considerable fossilized seashells in it are known as Kimmeridgian soils. The original Chablis AOC zone was established primarily over these soils.
Portlandian soils are younger, denser limestone soils. The appellation was extended to cover some Portlandian sites in 1978, tripling the Chablis AOC vineyard area to much protest.
What are some methods Chablis growers use to combat spring frost in the vineyards? Describe them and they usefulness and drawbacks.
Smudge Pots: oil burning devices reminiscent of small chimneys on a large pot. They are smoky, cause air pollution, and require vineyard staff.
Sprinklers (Aspersion): the preferred method, sprinklers coat the vines and buds in water that protect it from cold weather. Requires installation and maintenance costs, making it a realistic option for well-funded or very good ROI products.
Pruning Choices: growers will prune later than usual, promoting a later budburst in the hopes of avoiding spring frost
What are the common rootstocks used in Chablis? Why?
41B (vinifera x berlandieri): widely used because it is highly tolerant of limestone soils with high pH
420A (riparia x berlandieri): popular for low vigor and tolerance of high pH
What training system is typical of Chablis growers? Why?
Double Guyot allows growers to have an option in case one of the arms of the vine fails.
What are yields like in Chablis compared to the Côte d’Or?
Yields have been much higher, though recent frosts and hail damage have reduced these numbers.
How are grapes in Chablis generally picked?
Most of Chablis AOC is machine-picked, but the Grand Cru vineyards are too steep for mechanization and thus picked by hand.
What is the quality hierarchy of Chablis AOC?
Petit Chablis AOC
Chablis AOC
Chablis Grand Cru AOC
Bourgogne Premiers Cru are ALWAYS released under their VILLAGE APPELLATION
What is Petit Chablis AOC? Where is it situated?
The lowest level of the Chablis AOC quality hierarchy, it is 100% Chardonnay wine made from the higher, cooler vineyards in Chablis. The vineyards are predominantly Portlandian limestone soils with flat land or gentle slopes and a range of aspects.
What is the difference between Kimmeridgian and Portlandian soils?
Kimmeridgian soils are a clay/limestone amalgamate that includes fossilized Exogyra virgula.
Portlandian soils are harder, denser limestone soils with little to no fossil content. They are also younger than Kimmeridgian soils.
What is an Exogyra virgula? Where would you expect to find one?
An extinct bivalve similar to an oyster that existed in the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. Fossils of it are extremely common in the Kimmeridgian soils of premium Chablis AOC sites.
What aspect and soil type is typical of Chablis AOC wines?
There is no consistency with many sites facing north, though vineyards are predominantly located on flat land or gentle slopes. The soil can be a mix of Kimmeridgian and Porlandian
What is the style of Petit Chablis AOC and Chablis AOC?
Light bodied, high acid wines with light (Petit Chablis) to medium (Chablis) intensity green apple and lemon aromas.
How many Chablis AOC vineyards have Premier Cru status?
Where in Chablis are they situated?
40 vineyards predominantly on south and south-east facing slopes of Kimmeridgian soil.
How many Grand Crus are there in Chablis AOC?
Any subdivisions? How many and what are they called?
1 Grand Cru with seven climats
What is Chablis Grand Cru AOC? Where is it situated?
A collection of seven climats on the right bank of the Serein river near the town of Chablis. It occupies the mid-slope of a south-facing hill of Kimmeridgian soil.
What makes the placement of Chablis Grand Cru AOC vineyards special?
The Kimmeridgian soil there is a combination of crumbly marl and high clay content, allowing for both good drainage and water retention
The south-facing aspect offers more light and heat
The placement in mid-slope allows cold air to sink past it without inducing as much frost damage
A forest to the north of the sub-zone at the top of the hill shelters the vineyards from northerly winds
