chablis, a crystal-clear expression of terroir a crystal-clear expression of terroir november 18th...

Chablis, a crystal-clear expression of terroir

November 18th -19th, 2013 Los Angeles, California Dinner at Bouchon

Epernay

A winegrowing region in northern France

A northerly region in the north of Bourgogne

Chablis & Grand Auxerrois

Côtes de Nuits

Côte de Beaune

Côte Chalonnaise

Mâconnais

The Romans introduce vines

I – III

XII

Chablis’ reputation is established

as it is shipped to Paris

XVI

Late XIX – Early XX

Phylloxera + World Wars = vines in decline

1956-1959

Great technical progress (+ 40%

surface)

The monks contribute to the development of winegrowing

Birth of the Chablis and Chablis Grand Cru AOCs

1938

2 millennia of history

• 5 200 hectares in production

• Nearly 40 million bottles produced every year

• 4 appellations : –Petit Chablis (16%) , – Chablis (67%), – Chablis Premier Cru (15%) – Chablis Grand Cru (2%)

• More than 300 domains

• A cooperative is responsible for 25% of all Chablis wines (in volume)

• More than 65% of all wines produced are exported

Key Figures

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

1950 1970 1980 1990 2000 2003 2006 2009 2012

Evolution of surface wine area

The Chablis vineyard quadrupled between 1970 and 2000

Villages23%

Régionales Bourgogne

60%

Grands Crus de la Côte d'Or

2%

Chablis et Petit Chablis

11%

Chablis Grand Cru et Premier

Cru4%

Importance des exportations des vins de Chablis aux USA par rapport à l'offre en blanc de Bourgogne

(en volume - 7 mois 2013)

Chablis represents 15% of all white Bourgogne wines exported to the US market

Volume - 1st 7 months of 2013

After the economic turndown, the healthy growth is back on track

A semi-continental climate

Fighting freezing temperatures!

A semi-continental climate

Icing to keep vines at 32oF

Photo

gra

ph ©

Joël G

ES

VR

ES

Photo

gra

ph ©

Joël G

ES

VR

ES

Photo

gra

ph v

in-t

err

e-n

et.

com

Unique soil and subsoil

The Chablis terroir – the soil

Soil and subsoil

Chardonnay

“Chablis is Chardonnay, but not every Chardonnay is Chablis.” Rosemary George, MW 1979

In this environment of limestone soil and a semi-continental climate, the Chardonnay grape finds a unique yet fragile equilibrium at maturity, without

over-ripening. Chablis thus offers an exceptional expression of the varietal, with wines that are elegant and with good minerality, appreciated for their purity of taste.

BIVB-D.CLEMENCET

A single varietal

THE

4 APPELLATIONS

Chablis: the four appellations

Chablis Premier Cru

778 ha / 43 700 hl

Chablis – 3318 ha / 187 900 hl

Petit-Chablis - 843 ha / 44 700 hl

Chablis

Grand Cru

Chablis Premier Cru

Chablis

Petit Chablis

2%

15%

67%

16%

% of product volume

AO

C V

illa

ge

Climats in Chablis

Petit Chablis

• Wine tasted: Domaine des Malandes

Chablis 2010

Chablis

Domaine des Malandes

Lyne Marchive

Terroir of Chablis

• Wines tasted:

William Fèvre Chablis Premier Cru Vaulorent 2011

Simonnet-Febvre Chablis Premier Cru Vaillons 2010

Domaine Séguinot-Bordet Chablis Premier Cru Fourchaume 2010

Chablis Premier Cru

Chablis Premier Cru

Left Bank Right bank

William Fèvre

Didier Séguier

Terroir of Vaulorent

Simonnet-Febvre

Jean-Philippe Archambaud

Terroir of Les Vaillons

Domaine Séguinot-Bordet

Jean-François Bordet

Terroir of Fourchaume

• Wines tasted:

La Chablisienne

Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses 2009

Domaine Bernard Defaix Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir 2009

Chablis Grand Cru

Photograph © Joël Gesvres

Chablis Grand Cru

Chablis Grand Cru

Bougros

Blanchot

Les Clos Valmur

Grenouilles

Vaudésir

Les Preuses

Chablis

Grand Cru

Source: Chablis by Bernard Ginestet

La Chablisienne

Damien Leclerc

Terroir of Les Preuses

Domaine Bernard Defaix

Didier Defaix

Terroir of Vaudésir