Chablis

The popularity of Chablis has had its ups and downs. Its boom in the early 19th century was due to its relative proximity to Paris. However, the area under vines fell sharply as a result of phylloxera and powdery mildew in the 19th century and, above all, following the construction of the Paris-Lyon-Marseille railway in the 1950s. After the arrival of the railway, Chablis was unable to compete with the cheaper wines from the south of France. The rural exodus after the First World War and the devastating frost of 1945 reduced the area under vine to just 500 hectares. Over the last few decades, demand has brought the area back up to 5,800 hectares.

There is just one Grand Cru with seven vineyards, known as climates, including ‘Les Clos’ and ‘Vaudesir’. It is located in the immediate vicinity of the village of Chablis, facing south-west on the right bank of the Serein, and lies on Kimmeridgian soil. The south-facing slopes favor ripening and the wines have more body and concentration than the Premiers Crus or Chablis Villages.

Chablis Grand Cru represents only 1% of Chablis production and only Chardonnay is permitted in the appellation. Maximum yields are limited to 60 hL/ha for AOC Petit Chablis and AOC Chablis, 58 hL/ha for AOC Chablis Premier Cru and 54 hL/ha for AOC Chablis Grand Cru.

There are several associations of wine producers in Chablis. William Fèvre founded the Syndicat de Défense de l'Appellation de Chablis in 1993 with the aim of fighting fraud and addressing environmental issues. The Union des Grands Crus de Chablis is a voluntary association whose aim is to promote the quality of Chablis Grand Cru and is therefore limited to the owners of these sites: it has a quality convention and members must practice sustainable viticulture and harvest by hand.

From simple Chablis to Montée de Tonnerre, via old vines, Montmains or Les Fourchaumes: discover the authenticity of the wines from this sublime Burgundy appellation! You can put together your own box or choose your own individual bottle; we'll take care of the rest.