chablis

Question 1

Grand Cru vineyards

Answer 1

1. Les Clos: top vineyard site
2. Valmur: dates back to 1200s; sits in a small enclosed valley. Gets little wind and airflow, acts as a heat trap in summer and is easy target for winter freeze and spring frost.
3. Blanchot: has unique southeast facing aspect.
4. Vaudesir: considered 2nd best grand cru site.
5. Grenouilles: sits near the river serene. Site is named after the rivers native frogs.
6. Bougros: added in 1938
7. Preuses: added in 1938.

Question 2

Important Premier Cru vineyard Sites

Answer 2

Right Bank of Serein river
- Berdoit
- Cote de Vaubarouse
- Fourchame
- Les Fourneaux
- Mont de Milieu
- Montee de Tonnerre
- Vaucoupin

Left Bank of Serein river
- Beauroy
- Chaume de Talvat
- Cote de Jouan
- Les Beauregards
- Montmains
- Vau de Vay
- Vaillons
- Vosgros
- Vau Ligneau

Question 3

chablis vs. Petit Chablis

Answer 3

Chablis AOP/Crus come from vineyard sites with Kimmeridgian soil with better aspect. Chablis AOP wines come from general area around the town.
Petit chablis sites come from less ideal parts of slopes, such as the top, or vineyards on the plateau. Petit chablis is meant to be drank young.

Question 4

Negociants vs. Domaines

Answer 4

• domaines are grower-producers that grow, harvest and vilify their own grapes in a single estate.
• Negociants are merchants who buy grapes or unfermented juice from other growers to blend and bottle under their own label.

Question 5

Importance of Kimmeridgian soil

Answer 5

• composed of clay-limestone with fossilized marine organisms , such as oyster shells from the Jurassic era.
• soil is main cause for Chablis wines signature mineralogy and saline character.
• Kimeridgian soil is highly effective at balancing water retention and drainage, which is essential for vine health.
• Primarily found on grand ru and premier cru sites.
• AOC chablis soils are typically portlandian soil from plateau.

Question 6

Profile of Domaine Francois Raveneau (domaine only)

Answer 6

• Has Grand Cru vineyards in Les Clos, blanket and Valmur. Produces Grand cru and Premier Cru wines.
• Tasting note: Powerful and distinct saline, ocean breeze notes with white flowers, a strong mineralogy and a sight “struck match” or gun flint aroma.

Question 7

Profile of Domaine William Fevre (domaine and Négociant)

Answer 7

• Grand Cru vineyards in Les Clos, boughs, Cote bouguerots.
• Utilizes sustainable farming, with yields kept low and only hand harvesting used.
• wines fermented with ambient yeasts and go thru malolactic conversion.
• Grand Cru wines see 60-70% age in neutral oak w/ 4-6 months on Lees.
  Tasting note: Green apple, citrus, white flowers, signature flinty/mineral notes.

Question 8

Profile of Domaine Vincent Dauvissat (Domaine)

Answer 8

• Grand cru vineyards in Les Clos, Les Preuses.
• considered most traditional and top producer.
• Uses “Natural Farming” or Vin Methode Nature, using little vine treatments, with hand harvesting.
• Fermentation in stainless steel tanks and aging always in 6-8 year old barrels (no battonage on wines)
• Tasting note: citrus fruits, white flowers, distinct oyster shell and saline notes.

Question 9

Profile of Domaine Jean Paul & Benoit Droin (Domaine- family estate)

Answer 9

• Grand Cru vineyards in Les Clos, Valmur, Blanchots.
• Tasting Profile: green apple, lemon zest, white flowers, sea spray, gun flint with very high acidity. distinct vanilla and toasty flavors from old oak or 10% new oak.
• Grand cru wines see more oak/ AOP wines entirely in stainless steel.

Question 10

Profile of Domaine Louis Michel & fils (Domaine only)

Answer 10

• Grand cru vineyards in Vaudesir, Grenouilles, Les Clos
• practices mostly organic viticulture in vineyards, with only hand harvesting (AOC and Petit chablis machine harvested)
• all wines fermented with ambient yeasts and all oak age was eliminated in the 1970s.
• Tasting note: distinct un-oaked style w/ high minerality. Flavors of green apple, citrus, white peach, saline and a creamy finish.

Question 11

Profile of Domaine Christian Moreau (Domaine only)

Answer 11

• Grand Cru vineyards in Les Clos, Valmur.
• vineyards doest use pesticides/incesticides. Hand harvesting only.
• wines aged on Lees in stainless steel. Premier and grand cru wines get short aging in old oak/10% new oak.
• Tasting note: well integrated oak flavors of vanilla and toast with distinct flinty and mineral aromas with saline, green apple, citrus and floral notes.

Question 12

Profile of Domaine Jean Marc Brochard (Domaine & Negoicant)

Answer 12

• Grand Cru vineyards in Les Clos, Vaudesir (also has premier cru vineyards)
  -uses biodynamic principles in vineyards, mainly uses machine harvesting.
• wide variety of vilification techniques used (some less aging, some aging in French oak, some in concrete eggs, some in stainless steel.
• Tasting Note: green apple, citrus fruit, fresh almond, saline notes.

Question 13

Profile of Joseph Drouhin- Vaudon (Domaine and negociant)

Answer 13

• Grand cru vineyards in Les Clos, bourgeois, Les Preuses, Vaudesir.
• employs organic and biodynamic viticulture.
• Fermentation in Stainless steel w/ oak fermentation for all Grand Crus and some Premier Crus.
• Tasting note: intense citrus fruit w/ white flowers, hints of wet stone and oyster shell.
  **Maurice Drouhin was a leader in the WW2 French Resistance. His sons now run the winery.
  **Vaudon is an old water mill in the river serene, which was purchased by Drouhin in 2008. now put it on all Chablis labels.

Question 14

Profile of Simonnet Febvre (Domaine and Negociant)

Answer 14

• Grand cru vineyards in Les Clos, Valmur, Les Preses, Blanchot, Vaudesir.
  -wines go thru malolactic conversion and are aged on lees.
• Febvre makes Grand Cru/Premier Cru/AOP Chablis and petit chablis, as well as cremate de Bourgogne.

Question 15

Profile of Domaine Pattes Loup (Thomas Pico) (Domaine only)

Answer 15

• Premier Cru wines only from Butteaux, Cote De Jouan, Beauregard.
• certified organic and also practices biodynamic viticulture.
• Hand harvesting only, minimal sulfur added to wines, all wines hand sorted on sorting table at winery.
• Butteaux/cote De Jouan premier cru wiens see fermentation in old oak barrels. Beauregard and Vent d’antes wines see for,menmtation I stainless steel.

Question 16

What is the name of the main soil type in Petit Chablis?

Answer 16

Portlandian

Portlandian soil is a younger rock strata and a purer form of limestone than Kimmeridgian.

Question 17

Discuss variations in oak usage between Grand Cru/Premier/Village in Chablis.

Answer 17

Oak aromas, flavors and textures are not typically desirable nor commonly found in most village Chablis, which is celebrated for its crisp, bright citrus and green apple fruit flavors and high acidity.
However, some wines, especially the grand crus and more occasionally the
premier crus, may be fermented and aged in barrels. There is a range of styles from use of old oak (e.g. Dauvissat or Raveneau), some new oak (e.g. William Fèvre) and the use of stainless steel or concrete for grand cru wines (e.g. Jean-Marc Brocard).

This issue has been controversial as some think that Chablis should not smell or taste of oak, unlike many Chardonnays from around the world.

Question 18

What are the effects of bâtonnage on white Burgundy / why would winemakers perform it?

Answer 18

Frequent stirring is an oxidative procedure that can round out young wines, but wines destined for longer lives do not necessarily require the immediate richness and texture that bâtonnage offers.