The Un-Chard Chard: Chablis

If you only like your Chardonnays rich with tropical fruit aromas and buttery on the palate, avoid Chablis.

If you only like your Chardonnays bursting on the nose with French or American oak and chockablock with toast and vanilla flavors, avoid Chablis.

But if you're open to a crisp, steely, and dry Chardonnay with a nose of minerals, or limestone, or slate, or wet rocks that's rich with acidity and delivers flavors of green apple, or bitter almond, or minerals, or any combination of these, then give a true Chablis a try.

I say "true," because, outside of France, the name "Chablis" has been rather shabbily applied to a whole range of either vapid or overly fruity white jug wines that have been made from almost any combination of grapes. In France, however, the appellation is restricted to wines made totally from Chardonnay grapes grown in a specific region in the northernmost part of Burgundy.

The Chablis appellation comprises approximately 7,500 acres surrounding the town of Chablis and nearby villages in the department of Yonne, close to the city of Auxerre. Grape growing had been introduced by the Romans and improved upon by the monks in the middle ages. From the 15th century until the late 1800s, Chablis enjoyed considerable prosperity based on its wine trade, due largely to its proximity to Paris. However, in the 1880s diseases like oidium and phylloxera destroyed many of the vines. And because the railroad connecting Paris and the north to the prolific vineyards in the south of France had been cutting into their market since the 1850s, grape growers no longer found it profitable to replant their ruined vineyards.

Moreover, the climate of Chablis, with its hard winters, hot summers, and the ever lurking threat of Spring frosts makes grape growing in this region a more costly enterprise than elsewhere in France. In fact, it wasn't until the 1960s, when anti-frost measures like stoves and spraying with water became more effective, that vineyards started to be replanted.

Wine legislation allows for four quality levels of Chablis:

Petit Chablis - This is the low end and not widely found outside of France. Much of it is unappealing and not worth the price; these wines tend to be, putting it kindly, rustic.
Chablis - This is the village category. The recent expansion of the vineyards and the variations in microclimates and soils have made finding wines with substance and character more difficult. A lot of generic Chablis is rather innocuous and overly acidic; but there are some that are worth looking for.
Premier Crus - Some say this is the real value in Chablis; however, these wines still tend to be relatively expensive, starting around $20 and going up to around $50. Currently, there are 40 Premier Crus. Another point to keep in mind is that a lesser known vineyard may use the name of a group of vineyards that has a better known name. For example, Sechet may use the name Vaillons. Among the best Premiers Crus are Chapelot, Fourchaume, and Montee de Tonnerre.
Grand Crus - This is the pinnacle of Chablis and includes seven vineyards. They all enjoy excellent hillside locations with great exposures and unique soil characteristics. Unfortunately, they tend to be quite expensive and beyond our price point. But if you want to splurge, you might try hunting down a "Les Clos" from one of the great producers like Raveneau.

This illustration shows a typical bottle of Chablis:
The vintage is often indicated on a neck label; in this case, 1998.
The appellation, or quality level, in this case a Chablis Premier Cru, is clearly indicated somewhere near the center of the label.
Directly beneath it, is the vineyard name; here, a "Vaillons."
Finally, often at the bottom of the label, is the name of the producer; in our example, it's Lamblin & Fils.

The use of oak, or lack thereof, in the production of Chablis is one of the reasons I regard Chablis as the Un-Chard Chard. Recently, there has been a lot of experimentation with oak aging and fermentation. Producers are divided on subject, however; with some choosing to use it and others avoiding it totally in favor of stainless steel. It's these winemakers, in my opinion, who produce the most traditional Chablis, having firm acidity and mineral characteristics. In fact, even among oak devotees, oak ageing is generally reserved either for Grand Crus or for Premier Crus Chablis, since these wines have enough character to stand up to the oak.

Chablis can age rather well. As might be expected, Grands Crus have the greatest potential, up to 15 years. Premiers Crus can do well for 4 to 8 years, and Chablis for up to 4 years. I would not age a Petit Chablis for more than a year or two. Recent vintages to look for are 1999, 1998, 1997, and 1996. The '97s are especially good.

Chablis is definitely a food wine and not made for sipping alone or serving as an aperitif. It's the perfect accompaniment for seafood, white meats, or even a baked ham.

The final question is, "Is Chablis worth the Price?" After all, there's so much good wine out there these day that's more readily available and affordable that you have to wonder if it's worth paying the premium or spending the time hunting down a good bottle or two. In fact, we had to visit at least half a dozen wine stores and go beyond our $20 limit to find a varied enough selection of wines for this feature. My opinion, which was reinforced by our recent tasting, is that a good Chablis is well worth the few extra dollars and the time. With so many "formula" Chardonnays out there that glass after glass and year after year always taste the same, it's great to find one that, when well made, celebrates the grape as much as its does the winemaker; that teases the nose with different aromas and wakes up the palate with steely acidity and crisp flavors.

For this tasting, we selected ten Chablis. As is our custom, we first tasted the wines by themselves and then accompanied by food. For the meal, we served soft-shell crabs accompanied by asparagus and buttered potatoes. The wines are reviewed below in the order tasted.

1998 Jean-Marc Brocard, "Domaine Sainte Claire," Petit Chablis ($13.99)

Pale with hints of yellow, this wine has a nose of lemon, slate, and limestone, with hints of green apple, that's quite forward. On the palate, it's dry and delivers flavors of tart green apple with lemony acidity. There's not much of finish, but what's there is marked by lemon and acidity. Although this wine was better than I had expected, given Petit Chablis' reputation, it's expensive for what it is. It improved a lot when tasted with the food. Imported by Martine's Wines Inc., Novato, CA.

1998 Gerard Duplessis, Chablis ($21.99)

Pale yellow in color, this wine has a buttery nose with hints of wheat berries and wet stones. Light to medium bodied, it delivers mineral flavors with a bit of unctuousness and some lemon notes. It has a finish that's bitter, like bitter almond or bitter apple. This wine was also better when served with the meal. Imported by Hand Picked Selections, Warrenton, VA.

1999 Roland Lavantureux, Chablis ($17.99)

Pale in color with hints of yellow, this wine has a pretty, complex nose that's clean, with aromas of honeysuckle balanced by minerals. There's a hint of nectarines as well. Light to medium bodied, the wine is well structured with good acidity. It delivers plenty of flavor characterized by slate and minerals with hints of lemon zest. It also has a good mid-palate and a nice finish, with mineral and orange zest notes. This bottle was excellent with the crabs. Definitely a star of this tasting. Imported by Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkley CA.

1999 Christian Moreau Pere & Fils, Chablis ($15.98)

Pale with hints of yellow, this wine has a flint nose with a touch of citrus. It's quite forward on the palate, with dry, mineral flavors. It has good body, yet it's rather short on flavor. The finish is adequate and simple, with mineral flavors. Imported by Frederick Wildman and Sons Ltd., New York, NY.

1999 Daniel Seguinot, Chablis ($14.99)

Pale yellow in color, this wine has a classic Chablis nose of minerals, wet stones, and flint. Medium bodied, it has a certain unctuousness. It's buttery, with mineral flavors that linger on the palate. The flavors seem to develop to something like a bitter peach pit. It also has a good finish, with bitter almond and ash notes. This wine was outstanding with the food. Another star of this tasting. Imported by T&C Distributors, LLC., West Nyack, NY.

1998 Gilbert Picq & Fils, Chablis ($15.99)

Pale in color, this wine initially has a nose of wet stones that eventually turns floral like violets. Light to medium bodied, it delivers strong mineral flavors accompanied by some lemon citrus and walnut notes. It has a good finish with mineral flavors. Imported by USA Wine Imports, New York, NY.

1998 Jean Durup Pere &Fils, Chateau de Maligny, "Vigne de la Reine" Chablis ($14.99)

Pale yellow in color with hints of green, this wine has a pretty, buttery nose that's quite forward with walnut notes. Light to medium bodied, it's unctuous on the palate, with plenty of walnut and mineral flavors that are quite assertive. "This wine," said one taster, "explodes on the palate." Well structured with good acidity, it has a nice finish with mineral flavors. It was good with the food, but quite powerful. Another star of this tasting. Imported by Parliament Import Co., Atlantic City, NJ.

1998 Jean Durup Pere &Fils, Chateau de Maligny, "L'Homme Mort" Chablis Premier Cru ($19.99)

Pale with yellow and green hues, this wine has an inviting, complex nose with aromas of asparagus, slate, and even some vanilla. Medium bodied, it delivers dried apricot flavors with notes of lemon and vanilla that linger on the tongue. The wine has a teasing complexity. It finishes nicely with sour apple flavors. This wine brightened with the crab. Yet another star of this tasting. Imported by Parliament Import Co., Atlantic City, NJ.

1999 Daniel Seguinot, "Fourchaume" Chablis 1er Cru ($19.99)

Pale yellow in color, this wine has a "California" oak nose that's nicely counterbalanced with aromas of flint and minerals. The use of oak is judicious. On the palate, it's medium bodied and unctuous, with lemon and butterscotch flavors. It's on the cusp between sweet and sour. The flavors linger. It has a good finish with mineral and citrus flavors. This wine was good with the food. One more star of this tasting. Imported by T&C Distributors, LLC., West Nyack, NY.

1998 Lamblin & Fils, "Vaillons" Chablis 1er Cru ($24.99)

Pale with green hues, this wine has an inviting creamy nose with honeysuckle aromas. Medium bodied, the wine is well structured with good acidity. "Body from the beginning." said one taster. On the palate, it delivers floral flavors with citrus, herbs, and anise notes. Quite complex, almost chameleon like, this wine has a pleasing finish with citrus flavors. With the food, it cleansed the palate with its character. The final star of this tasting. Imported by Maximum Distributors of New Jersey, East Windsor, NJ.

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