Comparing the Chardonnays of Chablis

Rainy Sundays are for tasting practice

Chablis Day Lineup and top 4 aromas/flavors:

(1) 2019 Domaine Des Geneves Chablis Premier Cru Mont de Milieu - white flowers, lemon, white grapefruit, sour white Haribo gummy bear

(2) 2013 La Chablisienne Chablis Grand Cru Grenouilles - roasted hazelnuts, nutmeg, white peach, saffron

Both are 100% Chardonnays from the right bank (north side) of the Serein River in Chablis and high in acidity, but with six years' difference, the Grand Cru shows significantly more tertiary aromas than the Premier Cru.

The Premier Cru was fresh, pure and lovely and had very good concentration at M+, but side by side with the Grand Cru, it just didn't have the fully long finish and the raw power of the Chablisienne that makes it the Grand Cru.

Fun facts about Chablis:

(1) Chablis Grand Cru is one grand cru appellation, comprised of 7 official climats (Bougros, Preuses, Vaudésir, Grenouilles, Valmur, Les Clos, Blanchot) sitting on the "Grand Cru Slope" on the right bank of the Serein River.

(2) Les Clos is the largest of the grand cru climats, while Grenouilles is the smallest of the official grand cru climats. Grenouilles means "frogs" in French!

(3) Because it's Burgundy and it has to be complicated, there is one additional unofficial grand cru climat, La Moutonne, which straddles Vaudésir and Preuses. La Moutonne is a monopole owned by Domaine Long-Depaquit (under @domainesalbertbichot), and although not an official climat, it's been able to use the "grand cru" label due to its historical use of the label since the 1950s.

(4) Under current AOC regulations, Chablis will never be "high" in alcohol according to @wsetglobal standards (i.e., it will never have 14%+ abv), as Chablis Grand Cru, the appellation with the richest wines, has a maximum alcohol level of 13.5% abv.

Are you a fan of Chablis?

Here’s a peek at the little monster that ate my Le Nez Du Vin aroma card while I wasn't looking.