It came as no surprise to wine enthusiasts around the world when the climats of Burgundy were recognised by the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2015. The region has always been the epitome for exemplifying the importance of terroir, with a long historical tradition melding with grapes, soils, vineyard exposition and climate. I would argue that the premier cru climats of Chablis elevate terroir to its most precise expression. Here, with a laser-like focus on a single grape variety, minimal (or no) use of oak and a marginal, cool climate, the vignerons of Chablis craft the most scintillating and precise examples of vineyard expression.
Chablis has always been one of my main loves. The steely acidity, nervy, fresh, energetic style of Chardonnay has always appealed, leading me to write my Master of Wine dissertation on the premiers crus. In the overall context of Chablis with, according to BIVB, about 5,600ha under vine in 2017 (including Petit Chablis), the 779ha of premier cru may seem somewhat inconsequential, but these wines are considered by many as the truest expression of this famous wine region.
Vincent Dampt of Domaine Daniel Dampt says: ‘With the premiers crus, there are strong differences in taste, even if you vinify them in the same way. We always speak about terroir as the soil, exposition and the hand of the winemaker but, in fact, it is mostly a question of soil.’ Chablis is renowned for its unique soil (and underlying rock structure) dominated by marly limestone dating back to the Upper Jurassic period about 150 million years ago. Kimmeridgian soil is characterised by the presence of countless fossilised oyster shells (exogyra virgula) – a key driver of wine style.
Denne historien er fra December 2019-utgaven av Decanter.
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Denne historien er fra December 2019-utgaven av Decanter.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
A Resource for the World? - Argentina is unique in the genetic diversity preserved in much of its vine material. With climate change and disease posing increasing threats worldwide, Catena Zapata winery is asking what lessons can be learned to protect vineyards within and beyond the nation's borders
Argentina is unique in the genetic diversity preserved in much of its vine material. With climate change and disease posing increasing threats worldwide, Catena Zapata winery is asking what lessons can be learned to protect vineyards within and beyond the nation’s borders
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There's a lot of excitement about this vintage, in which conditions were relatively calm and temperatures stable through summer. Ongoing drought reduced yields but intensified flavours, but it means quantities are down and you may need to act fast to secure top wines. Our Napa correspondent selects 60 great wines from more than 500 that he tasted, with many very high scores
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