Chablis

Chablis stands apart from the rest of Burgundy—geographically, stylistically, and philosophically. Located 100km northwest of the Côte d'Or, closer to Champagne than to Beaune, this isolated region produces Chardonnay of crystalline purity. The secret lies in the soil: Kimmeridgian limestone, formed 150 million years ago when this land lay beneath a tropical sea. The fossilized oyster shells embedded in the chalky marl impart a distinctive flinty minerality that defines Chablis. The classification mirrors greater Burgundy: Petit Chablis (lighter, earlier-drinking), Chablis (village level), Chablis Premier Cru (40 climats including Montée de Tonnerre, Fourchaume), and the seven Grand Crus crowning a single southwest-facing slope—Les Clos, Vaudésir, Valmur, Grenouilles, Blanchot, Preuses, and Bougros. The winemaking philosophy here favors restraint. While some producers use oak, the purest expressions see only stainless steel, allowing the terroir to speak without interference. The result: wines of laser-like focus, with green apple, lemon, and that unmistakable chalky finish.