Burgundy

Appellation in the so-called Basse-Bourgogne region in Burgundy in France, named after the town of the same name, and separated from and located to the north of Burgundy in the départment Yonne in France. The appellation was classified in 1938. The area is separated from the Côte d´Or by the Morvan mountains, and is closer to Champagne than any of the other parts of Burgundy. The Romans cultivated vines here in the 2nd century AD, and in later times the church was instrumental in maintaining and developing viticulture. The Pontigny abbey played an important part, it is thought that the monks of this abbey introduced Chardonnay to the area. At one stage this region had a total vineyard area of 40.000 hectares, centred on the town of Auxerre, and it was the largest wine-growing region in France at the time. However, a poor market as well as the effects of the damage caused by phylloxera caused farmers to change to other agricultural products. In addition, there is always a great danger of hail damage in this region, as well as of spring frosts, which means that in some years the entire harvest can be destroyed. All this combined to leave only 500 hectares of vineyards in production by the mid-1950’s. Sustained efforts from the early 1960’s onward were successful in turning around this trend. For instance, vines were sprayed with water in order to cover them with ice and protect them from frost, and oil heaters as well as windmills were brought into use. The vineyard area in Chablis as well as in 19 surrounding communes now again totals 4.300 hectares. The dry wine is pale yellow with a distinctive green tinge, and is a varietal wine made from Chardonnay (known here as Beaunoise). It has a typical flinty bouquet (French: „goût de pierre à fusil“) and has a mild, fruity taste in spite of the prominent acidity, brought about by the prevailing limestone-rich clay-based soil. Traditionally, the wines were matured in concrete cisterns or in stainless steel tanks, but there is an increasing trend towards maturing Chablis in oak barrels. Today, most iwnes undergo malo-lactic fermentation. A top-quality Chablis has a maturation potential of several decades. There are four appellations, resp. also levels of quality /see also under Burgundy classification):

Chablis Grand Cru: These are the wines sourced from the 7 top vineyard sites, all located on a slope to the north of the town of Chablis. The sites are Blanchot (12 ha), Bougros (12 ha), Grenouilles, Les Clos (27 ha), Les Preuses (11 ha), Valmur (13 ha) and Vaudésir (14 ha). There is an additional site called La Moutonne which is not officially classified as a Grand Cru, but is nevertheless permitted to use the protected designation as 2,3 hectares of the site are located in the Vaudésir and Les Preuses sites. There was discussion at one stage that the site would be awarded its own Grand Cru classification, but this hasnot yet been implemented by early 2007, for reasons that are not immediately apparent. Blanchot is generally considered to bet he best and the most elegant of these sites. The total vineyard area of around 100 hectares makes up only 5% of the total production of Chablis. The best producers include, for example, Jean Collet, Jean Dauvissat, Jean Defaix, Jean-Paul Droin, Domaine Marcel Duplessis, Château Grenouilles, Domaine Long-Depaquit, Jean-Marie Ravenau, Guy Robin, Philippe Testut and Robert Vocoret et Fils.

Premier Cru: These wines are permitted to state either the name of a single vineyard site (there are around 40 in total) or the name of a group of vineyards on the label. The latter is more usual. The sites are (showing in brackets the sites permitted to use the collective designation): Côte de Jouan, Côte de Léchet, Côte de Vaubarousse, Beuaroy (Troesmes, Côte de Savant), Berdiot, Chaume de Talvat, Fourchame (Côte de Fontenay, L´Homme Mort, Vaulorent, Vaupulent), Les Fourneaux (Côte des Prés-Girots, Morein), Les Beauregard (Côte de Cuissy), Les Landes et Verjuts, Mont de Milieu, Montée de Tonnere (Chapelot, Côte de Bréchain, Pied d´Aloup), Montmains (Butteaux, Forets), Vaillons (Beugnons, Chatains, Les Epinottes, Les Lys, Mélinots, Roncières, Sécher), Vaucoupin, Vau de Vey (Vaux Ragons, Vau Ligneau and Vosgros (Vaugiraut). The vineyard area totals 750 hectares in 15 communes (not in Chablis itself) and accounts for around 30% of the total production.

Chablis: The AC includes a large area, with a total vineyard area of around 2.300 hectares. No specific vineyard site may be stated on the label. The wines account for around 60% of the total production. In good vintages, excellent, typical Chablis can be found at this level.

Petit Chablis: These are wines sourced from lesser soils and sites, mostly located within the AC Chablis. Around 1.800 hectares are defined as vineyards, with only around 200 hectares of this currently under vine. There is an ongoing debate as to whether this slightly disparaging name should be changed, or this classification given up altogether.