Is Chablis aged in oak?

Chablis (“Shah-blee”) is a Chardonnay making wine region in the northwest corner of Burgundy, France. Unlike other Chardonnay wines, Chablis rarely uses oak-aging, resulting in a very different style and taste profile. It's because of Chablis' renown that the unoaked Chardonnay style is popular worldwide.

Is Chablis always unoaked?

In comparison with the white wines from the rest of Burgundy, Chablis wine has typically much less influence of oak. Most basic Chablis is unoaked, and vinified in stainless steel tanks. The amount of barrel maturation, if any, is a stylistic choice which varies widely among Chablis producers.

How is Chablis aged?

Chablis is typically fermented in stainless steel to retain freshness and minerality. Some may be fermented in large, old oak barrels that do not impart any oak notes into the wine. At the Premier Cru level the wine will typically spend some time in large oak barrels.

Is Chablis barrel aged?

The majority of Chablis wines undergo this secondary fermentation. Next comes ageing, which is done either in vats or barrels, depending on the type of wine desired. This period varies according to the winemaker's approach and the profile of the wine sought.

Why is Chablis unoaked?

Chablis wines are typically unoaked Chardonnay with a distinct salinity, low residual sugar, good minerality, and unique terroir expression.

Discover The Chablis Wine Region

Why is Chablis different from Chardonnay?

Chablis (“Shah-blee”) is a Chardonnay making wine region in the northwest corner of Burgundy, France. Unlike other Chardonnay wines, Chablis rarely uses oak-aging, resulting in a very different style and taste profile. It's because of Chablis' renown that the unoaked Chardonnay style is popular worldwide.

Is Chablis Premier Cru oaked?

The traditional interpretation of Chablis shows little or no oak. In recent years, some vignerons have begun to oak their wines more aggressively. But winemaker Cyril Gautheron uses oak sparingly and carefully — when he thinks the wine doesn't need it, he doesn't use it.

How long can you age Chablis?

A Petit Chablis can be enjoyed after two years and a Chablis can also be enjoyed in its youth, or be kept for five years or more. A Chablis Premier Cru is a delight between five and 10 years of age. And as for Chablis Grand Cru, this can be enjoyed from 10-12 years after harvest and beyond, depending on the vintage.

Why is Chablis so expensive?

The two most important aspects affecting this four-tier classification are soil type and vineyard position. The most expensive wines come from sloped south-facing vineyards (meaning more sunlight) containing ancient, Jurassic-era limestone soil. They tend to be more complex, with greater depth of flavour.

Is Pouilly-Fumé oaked?

The 1980s saw a number of producers introducing an element of oak into their Pouilly-Fumé wines, either via barrel fermentation or barrel maturation, or both. The resulting wines were aromatically and texturally more complex than the standard unoaked wines, and also better-suited for mid-term cellaring.

Is Chablis age worthy?

Grand Cru Chablis repeats the trick when compared to Premier Cru wines from the leading Côte de Beaune villages. Chablis is a wine with the potential to age for many years and a style where terroir characters are encouraged to shine, with prominent oak and other winemaking influences taking a back seat.

Is Chablis the same grape as Chardonnay?

Chablis, the wine, is 100% Chardonnay. No other grape is allowed in the four Chablis Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC), and no one has seen the need to change that. The two meld together so well.

Is Chablis drier than Chardonnay?

As a rule though, Chablis is even drier than chardonnay. The reason for this is that chardonnay is sometimes blended with other grapes depending on the region, which might contain higher levels of natural sugars.

Is Pouilly-Fuissé Chardonnay?

Pouilly-Fuissé is the home of the finest white wines of southern Burgundy's Maconnais district. They are produced exclusively from Chardonnay grapes grown in the communes of Chaintré, Fuissé, Solutré-Pouilly and Vergisson.

Is Chablis the same as white Burgundy?

Chablis The antithesis of buttery Chardonnay

What's to know: Chablis is the northernmost region in Burgundy, and therefore the coldest. Chablis almost always has the tartest, crispest acid profile of all white Burgundy. Famous for its intensely chalky white soils, Chablis also contains several Grand Cru vineyard sites.

Is Chablis a unoaked Chardonnay?

Chablis, from northern Burgundy in France, is the exemplar of the unoaked Chardonnay style: chalky, flinty, crisp and focused.

Is Chablis a cheap wine?

Below are notes from a recent tasting of Chablis, through all four classifications and in a wide range of prices — from $15 to $80. The 10 wines are listed in ascending order, according to price, and half of them retail for $28 or less.

What wine is closest to Chablis?

The one obvious option to replace Chablis with is Petit Chablis. Other than that, dedicated Chablis customers often want to stick to alternative French wines, so very good Muscadet, Macon and Santenay can often work to fill the void.

Is Chablis The best white wine?

Wine Review Online - Chablis: The World's Best White Wine for Food. That's a bold claim, but I think it holds up to scrutiny. The only other contender would be Champagne, but once one takes price into account, the medal goes to Chablis because these wines are so well-priced.

What are the best years for Chablis?

Looking back on Chablis through the ages, a good handful of modern vintages like 2019, 2018, 2015, and 2006 stand out as memorable. Fifteen years ago, 2006 in Chablis was looking like a toss-up.

Is Chablis only white wine?

Chablis wines are dry white wines which are characterized by their purity, crispness, sophistication and minerality. The Chardonnay varietal gives results in Chablis unlike anywhere else.

What is better grand cru or premier cru?

Yet, its classification system is relatively simple. Grand Cru is the top dog, while the tier just below it is named Premier Cru. A cru in Burgundy designates a high-quality vineyard. Often, they're split into parcels owned by different wineries or estates.

What is the Grand Cru of Chablis?

Chablis Grand Cru is the appellation for the highest-quality Chardonnay produced around the town of Chablis, northern Burgundy. It is produced from seven named vineyard sites (Preuses, Bougros, Vaudésir, Grenouilles, Valmur, Les Clos and Blanchot) which cover just 101 hectares (250 acres) immediately east of the town.

How many premier crus are there in Chablis?

Appellation Premier Cru of the Chablis wine-growing region (Yonne). This appellation comprises 40 Premier Cru Climats (named plots of vinegrowing land). Each commune or hamlet within the appellation has one or more main Climats, the name of which may be applied to the other Premier Cru Climats in that commune.