A Decanter Guide To Chablis Premier Cru

The ethereal, nuanced intensity of its wines continues to bewitch many a wine professional and consumer alike. Andy Howard MW takes us on a tour of one of the world’s benchmark white wine regions, revealing the character that lies behind some of its best vineyard sites

- Andy Howard MW

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.