Bourgogne Week - Chablis Tasting

A BIVB tasting of Chablis at 28-50 Maddox St as part of Bourgogne Week

 

Chablis produces a very particular style of wine - cool-climate, white and nervy; if this is not your thing, look elsewhere.

 

Within this generalisation, there are, of course, nuances and gradations, but what I took away from a tasting of Petits, Right-bankers and Left-bankers with a Grand Cru thrown in was this:

 

- the profile of a Chablis, whilst not completely immutable, is fairly set; white, crisp, mineral and so on

 

- the differences, then, are all about quality

 

- a Petit Chablis, however good, is liquid in a glass

 

- at the other hand extreme, Grands Crus have a transcending depth, texture and substance; they are complex, honeyed and nutty

 

- somewhere in the middle, the best Premiers Crus (despite the name, the second rank of wines) have an elegant purity and freshness

The lightest Chablis, Petit Chablis, is a refreshing aperitif; the fullest, most complex Grands Crus, aged to maturity, are succulent food wines that can easily overpower a light starter.

 

Being a classic wine that is difficult to produce, Chablis is not cheap - but as is so often the case, this means the value is better at the top end than the bottom.

 

The stand-out wines for me were:

 

Chablis

Domaine Sainte Claire, 2013, Jean-Marc Brocard pure, elegant, well-structured and balanced. Good.

 

Chablis Premier Cru

Montmains 2012, Domaine Guy Robin old-vine richness with a full, leesy minerality. Very Good.

 

Chablis Grand Cru

Domaine Laroche, Reserve de l'Obedience, Les Blanchots 2009 complex, leesy and substantial; honeyed and nutty. Very Good Indeed.

 

Other related articles

Pure Chablis - The Overview‏

Pascal Bouchard Chablis Grand Cru 2010 - Waitrose