Located a mere two hours from the City of Lights, the historic town of Chablis and its equally historic vineyards have been living up to their reputation of creating a caliber of Chardonnay wines that are truly peerless. Whether it is the limestone soil, the lack of oak aging, the mineral quality or the suggestions of gently sweet fruit such as pear or apple that make the wines from the region so unique, the result is the same: the wines of Chablis are like no other.

There was a time when Chablis was underwater – literally. At that time, the land absorbed deposits of fossilized marine life, particularly seashells, and those remnants live on in the rich, mineralized, lime-dominant soil that is the region’s premier advantage.

Chablis is divided into four categories of excellence. In descending order, they include Chablis Grand Cru, Chablis Premier Cru, Chablis and Petit Chablis. Grand Cru production is small and elusive; only seven climats running parallel to the Serein River are relegated to Grand Cru status. These wines are produced with limited availability and high price tags. In contract with Grand Cru’s seven climats, Premier Cru claims 40 vineyards, including the highly desirable Vaillons, Montman, Fourchaume and Vaulorent sites, among those carrying its designation. Chablis is the most predominant appellation, characterized by crisp, dry flavors, with Petit Chablis, while still being praiseworthy, ranking last among the four.

When it comes to Chablis, all things are not created equal. The region has had to take action to stop to international practices that labelled any and all dry French whites as “Chablis.” A trade agreement was reached in 2006, requiring that the appellation, awarded in 1938, is only applicable to wines that have valid regional production credentials as well as conformity to established production requirements. Top Producers: Domaine François Raveneau, Domaine William Fèvre

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