Relatively new to Chablis. I have tasted several modestly priced examples over the past couple of years ($25 +/-) and so have limited experience to generalize. Obviously no Premier Cru and Grand Cru. I formed an early impression that Chablis reminded me of Sancerre – dry, citrusy crisp, gravelly, energetic, flavorful background fruit, no detectable oak. More recently I have tasted some Chablis where the fruit was more emphasized and there seemed to be some oak, though not screaming at me. Still some of the Sancerre-like energy, but subdued. Maybe these differences are stylistic variations between producers and vintages? Maybe they are hinting that lower priced Chablis are not always representative of the “prototypical” Chablis?
What is the prototypical taste profile of Chablis for you? Can you suggest some examples?
Jim,
I don’t believe there is a prototype much beyond your impressions.
And when you taste premier and grand cru Chablis, I think you learn more about the differences in terroir than the similarities. So I’m not much good to you on that issue.
Suggestions include several producers with good track records including Raveneau, Vincent Dauvissat, Tribut, Billaud-Simon and, my personal favorite, Louis Michel.
I would leave Brocard out just because they impress me as being more “industrialized.”
Fevre seems to be widely liked on this board, just not by me.
But one man’s poison is another’s meat, and there’s nothing better than tasting to see what you like.
Best, Jim
Agree Louis Michel, especially Montee de Tonnerre, and also on JM Brocard, but Julien Brocard is in a different class IMHO.
Another filial spin off with excellent wines is Samuel Billaud.
Vintage is also vitally important here, affecting the style as well as the quality. The last several years have run the gamut pretty well.
It really is in some ways a simpler version of Burgundy, with producer, vineyard and vintage all leading to quite different wines, and various families having multiple members.
I think there’s a prototype of what people think Chablis should taste like, along the lines you describe, with the focus on minerality, citrus. No excessive oak.
But for the reasons above, the reality can diverge significantly.
You have a fascinating journey ahead of you. 1er crus are where the action is in my opinion but prices for top,wines have been marching firmly upward in the last few years.
Oh one other thing. Do try to find some mature vintages, and if drinking younger wines experiment with giving them time to breathe and open up. If logistics dictate against that I will sometimes decant.
I’ve had prototypical “good” mature Chablis and what I compare it to is like a flat Champagne. Same racy, mineral driven palate. It’s nothing like what I love about White Burgundy - elegant and sensual - so I steer clear.
Another fan of Michel here.
I love the MdT but might like the Forêts even more.
Raveneau and Dauvissat reach the heights of Chablis IMHO. William Fevre and Christian Moreau are my idea of “typical” Chablis and both have a good range of varying Cru production. Chablis is far from immune to Premox. When buying for myself, I typically look for Alice and Oliver DeMoor and Pattes Loup.
RT
This!!! I think your initial impressions are correct, but the warmth of recent vintages means that some of those dry, electric, saline, and mineral flavors are just overwhelmed by the ripeness of the fruit. I buy Chablis only in less ripe years. 2014 was awesome, 2012 and 2017 also very good. Avoid '15, and presumably '18/'19. '16 had frost and hail IIRC, so some compromised wines but specific producers and vineyards could be good.
Many good producer suggestions have already been mentioned here. I really like Michel and Billaud-Simon. Others worth trying are Chablisienne (good value) and Droin (leans a bit riper, but good 1ers in leaner years).
as Michael said, pick the less ripe more acidic vintages like 2014 for prototypical Chablis. Billaud-Simon, Moreau, Fevre, many great producers up and down the vineyard hierarchy, Raveneau and Dauvissat at the more expensive end. Classic flavors are high acid, minerals, chalk, “oyster shell.”
OK, very helpful responses. Michael’s emphasis and enumeration of vintages yielded a “Bingo!” moment for me. My initial impressions of Chablis were based on wines from the 2017 vintage - those “Chardonnay Sancerre” that I found very appealing. The slightly less appealing, more fruit forward, less energetic examples were a 2015 and a 2018. Probably not totally coincidental.
Thanks.
Posting a TN on a 2014 Chablis in this thread as a sort of follow-up. Earlier in the summer I saw a single bottle of 2014 Servin Mont de Milieu at my local wine store and bought it based on some comments that I received in this thread - the vintage might be one that I would prefer stylistically, I never have had a Chablis with a bit of bottle age, and finally I never have had a Premier Cru Chablis. Opened the bottle tonight. Stars aligned, but the proof, as always, will be in the tasting of this individual bottle!
2014 Domain Servin Chablis Premier Cru 'Mont de Milieu’
This is just one bottle, but I already want to extrapolate and generalize. This Premier Cru is a different type of Chablis than village level bottlings we have previously tasted. The good village level bottlings from 2017 were excellent to me, but this bottle has a level of balance, smoothness and (I’ll use that new-to-me wine word) – finesse. It still has recognizable components of mineral, citrus fruit and acid, but nothing is edgy and/or obvious. Mineral dominant I would say. My wife and I struggled to pin down the fruit component, I thought lemon but its smoothness and integration with the overall taste made it a bit elusive. Jacqueline had a keen observation: the integration and smoothness of the wine’s taste components throughout the taste - initial, mid and end/aftertaste - were almost foreign to us. (And kind of a wonderful experience!). Usually the tastes in wines that we drink have more discrete components that accentuate themselves at different points.
Finally, In case the main point has been lost in my verbiage, we enjoyed this wine very much.
No one ever mentions Servin. Not sure why. They make really nice Chablis. The ‘08 Butteaux is top notch.
Good call.
I love Servin.
To “get” Chablis I’d start with the greatest qpr winery around in regards to Chablis…La Chablisienne…try their Petite all the way to the Grand Cru. Won’t hurt the budget…and will show you the hierarchy. Totally satisfies your Chablis urges! Then you can branch out to complexville from there$$$!
Not nearly the experience of others here but good markers are sea spray and crushed sea shells.
They all don’t show it but it’s beautiful, IMO, when it does especially tasting blind.
I’m a fan of Domaine Daniel-Etienne Defaix–but it is atypical as the current release is a 2006 or '05.
Some faves are: Billaud-Simon, Samuel Billaud, Louis Michel, Gilbert Picq, JP & Benoit Droin, Domaine d’Henri, Chateau de Maligny and Domaine Servin. Raveneau and Dauvissat are hard to come by over here…
I never really found a lot of similarities with Sancerre but that is always very subjective. Also, when delving into Chablis crus, I suggest you find a “parcelle” you like (Montée de Tonnerre, Grenouilles, Vaudésir, etc.) And explore different producers over it. Good stuff to discover, enjoy!
I like Samuel Billaud, Patrick Piuze and Isabelle & Denis Pommier at the village level both for style and value. I suppose none of them is as steely as Louis Michel but still to me they come off quite classic.
I second Piuze and would add Pattes Loup- Thomas Pico- Still relatively affordable lol
Relative indeed! I was looking to re-buy some Butteaux as I found the 2013 so enjoyable at 30 € a bottle but lo and behold the price has pretty much doubled ever since and now costs what I paid for 2016 Dauvissat Forest. Not saying it is not worth that asking price but getting pricey for my wallet. I did end up buying the 2017 Vent d’Ange though.
This is a timely thread for me. I’ve never been a fan of Chardonnay but a good friend is, so I keep an eye out for bottles we can enjoy together.
I just bought a bottle of 2016 La Chablisienne La Perrelee, and I’ve been holding a bottle of 2014 Charly Nicole Ancestrum. Unfortunately the pandemic kept us from having opportunities this summer to share wine with friends. I worry about the premox issue so will likely consume the 2014 at home in the near future. I can get more of the ‘16 locally so may open it at home this year too.
Based on peoples’ vintage comparisons in this thread I guess I will prefer the '14 and my friend will prefer the '16.