Chablis Fine wine

Of all the Burgundy sub-regions, Chablis is arguably the one that is best known among the wider wine-loving public. Which is something of an irony, given that a) it only produces white wine, not red; and b) it sits apart, geographically, from the rest of Burgundy.

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Chablis: Purity & poise from the white wine heartland

Chablis is a northerly vineyard site – further north not just than the Côte d’Or, but Sancerre, on a latitude that is almost the same as the southern tip of Alsace. As a result, its brand of Chardonnay has more in common with Champagne than it does with most of Burgundy. Consequently, that style is decidedly lean and steely – something that is also due to the fact that most Chablis (apart from some grand-cru wines) is unoaked. The region as a whole continues to ride a wave of popularity, due in part to the fact that there is more of it than there used to be – plantings now stand at 5,600 hectares, up from a mere 750ha in 1970, and thereby accounting for over 20% of Burgundy’s total vineyard area. As a result, it is important to seek out the quality end of the market…

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Popular Chablis wine

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2023 Chablis, Jean-Claude et Romain Bessin-Tremblay

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2016 Chablis 'Les Grands Terroirs', Samuel Billaud

2020 Chablis, Samuel Billaud

2023 Chablis, Samuel Billaud

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Chablis vintages

Growers in Chablis face a growing array of challenges from the changing climate, meaning vintages can vary quite considerably in quality, style and, most significantly, quantity. Years such as 2016 and 2024 saw plenty of rain, and with many top producers wedded to organic practices, a significant chunk of the crop was lost to disease. 2021, meanwhile, saw widespread freezing temperatures during the growing season, meaning many vines were weakened or lost to frost damage. 2016, 2017 and 2019 also suffered a similar fate. Such issues affect quantity rather than quality, so the wines from these years are largely still of good typicity, while 2022 was the standout vintage of the decade so far.

Chablis Vintages

Chablis wine FAQs

How is Chablis different to other white Burgundy?

Though grouped as part of Burgundy, Chablis is a separate geographic entity, and sits some way north of the main Burgundian vineyards of the Côte d’Or. As a result, it is quite significantly cooler. The other major difference is the soil, and specifically the chalky Kimmeridgean soil that defines the best sites in the region. The result is that Chablis tends to deliver a leaner, more steely, minerally rendering of Chardonnay compared to the often rounder, fuller versions found further south. The inherent acidity lends further raciness – though in the top, grand-cru wines, this is balanced by a certain richness, often accentuated by the use of oak.

 Does Chablis have the same cru system as the rest of Burgundy?

Sort of. There are four main categories, but these are slightly different to the rest of Burgundy. At the base of the pyramid sits Petit Chablis, a category that was introduced in 1943, via 1,500ha of almost entirely new land. Then there is AC Chablis, covering wines blended from unclassified vineyards, and which has also expanded significantly over time and is no longer limited to vineyards sitting only on Kimmeridgean soil. Above that, as in the rest of Burgundy, we have Premier Cru and Grand Cru, for the most well-regarded vineyards in the region. The Grand Cru area covers just 100 hectares (less than the entirety of Château Lafite in Bordeaux) and is responsible for just 2% of Chablis’ total output.

Chablis wine producers

Chablis plays host to a variety of different type and size of producers, most of which have been making wines here for several generations. Some, such as the bijou Vincent Dauvissat and Thierry Laffay, or the larger scale Jean-Marc Brocard and William Fèvre, are based within the region, and focus solely on Chablis, making wines across a range of levels and crus. Others, such as Simmonet Febvre and Domaine Long-Depaquit, are the Chablis arm of negociant firms based in Burgundy’s Côte d’Or (in this case, Louis Latour and Albert Bichot, respectively), with Chablis one of several wine types they make, via purchased grapes. In all cases, it’s important to remember that wines here are categorised – and largely priced – according to the vineyard first and foremost, and the producer second.