Grand Cru in Chablis Name Size (ha) Blanchots 12 Bougros 14 Grenouilles 9 Les Clos 25 Les Preuses 11 Valmur 12 Vaudésir 14 Premier Cru in Chablis Name Beauregards Beauroy Berdiot Chaume de Talvant Côte de Cuissy Côte de Jouan Côte de Léchet Fourchaumes Les Fourneaux L'Homme Mort Mont de Milieu Montée de Tonnerre Montmains Vaillons Vau de vey Vau Ligneau Vaucoupin Vaugiraut Vaux de Vey Vosgros AOC in Chablis Name Size (ha) Petit Chablis 400 Vintages for Chablis 1985-2005 Year Rating 2003 88 2002 93 2001 86 2000 91 1999 85 1998 85 1997 87 1996 89 1995 88 1994 84 1993 84

Chablis overview
Chablis is the most Northernmost part of Burgundy, devoted exclusively to the production of white wine from Chardonnay grapes. Total production is roughly 36 million bottles per year, roughly the same as the Mâcon (corresponding to ~18% of production in Burgundy). In ascending order, there are four levels of classification: Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis Premier Cru, Chablis Grand Cru. Vineyard areas in Chablis have increased dramatically from 400 ha in 1945 to 4,900 ha today. The areas defined as Crus are a small part: Grand Crus 100 ha; Premier Cru 750 ha. Two third of production is appellation level, and fluctuation in its level drives total production. Overall production has increased more or less linearly since 1970. In the region there is also the AOC of St. Bris, which makes Sauvignon Blanc (promoted in 2002 from VDQS), and Irancy, which makes light red wines. There are also some localized appellations which are specified as Bourgogne plus local name.

Terroir of Chablis
Chablis is known for its soil, which is a mixture of chalky limestone and clay, divided into two general types. The famous Kimmeridgian soil is a grey/white crumbly limestone containing a high density of fossilized shellfish. This is the heart of the original area of Chablis. It is surrounded by areas where the soil consists of Portlandian limestone, which has less clay and chalk, some differences in mineral constitution, and is browner in appearance. Originally Chablis could be produced only on Kimmeridgian soil, and any wine produced on Portlandian soil was limited to Petit Chablis. However, since then some of the regions of Portlandian soil have been included in Chablis. The most recent general change in the appellations in 1978 included new vineyards, especially to the East and North. The expansion created controversy as to whether quality was being diluted by the inclusion of the Portlandian areas. Outside of the premier crus, most of the vineyards now are entitled to the Chablis communal appellation, although the most inferior vineyards are limited to the Petit Chablis appellation. With the expansion, plantings are authorized on 6800 ha, meaning that the actual planted regions of Petit Chablis and Chablis each could be increased by about a further 1000 ha.

Appellations in Chablis
The Chablis appellation was defined in 1938 as including 20 communes, and the Grand cru appellation was also created. The Premier cru appellation was created in 1967. The areas for both Chablis and Premier Crus were expanded in 1978. The best vineyards are on the right bank of the river Serein just to the North of the town of Chablis, which there is a South-West facing slope of Kimmeridgian soil. The seven Grand crus are all part of the same slope. Les Clos is consistently the best, with Valmur second best. Nearby on the same slope of land are the best premier crus, Fourchaume to the North and Montée de Tonnerre and Mont de Milieu to the East. On the left bank of the river, the best premier crus are Vaillons and Montmains, just South-West of the town. There are 17 principal Premier Crus, but many of them have subsidiary names for specific climats within them, so that altogether there are 40 names that can be used under the Premier Cru appellation.

Viticulture in Chablis
Chablis is close to the Northern limit for successful cultivation of vines. Frost at the beginning of the season and ripening at the end are always problems. Yield limits in Chablis vary less with the level of appellation than in some other areas of Burgundy. They are the same 50 hl/ha for Petit Chablis, Chablis, and the Premier crus, and are reduced to 45 hl/ha only for the Grand crus. The minimum permitted alcohol level increases in 0.5° steps from 9.5° for Petit Chablis to 11° for the Grand crus, but since chaptalization is common, this is more or less irrelevant.

Trade in Chablis
Cooperatives are of increasing importance and quality; La Chablisienne is the largest owner of premier crus and in fact accounts for one third of all production in Chablis. It not only bottles wine under its own label, but also allows members to bottle wine under their own labels. The Union des Grands crus de Chablis was founded in 2000 from member vignerons who own 70% of the Chablis Grand Crus. However, it does not include two of the best producers, Vincent Dauvissat and Francois Raveneau. The intention is to improve quality by imposing a standard that will stop overproduction etc. Vineyards are inspected, and where necessary growers are asked to make improvements, e.g. to perform a green harvest. Members agree not to use machine harvesting (which is common in Chablis).

Imitation Chablis
Wine can be labeled as Chablis in the European Union only if produced within the region defined for the Chablis appellation in France. However, elsewhere it is possible to label any wine as Chablis, irrespective of its origin. In fact, the annual production of the Chablis region of just over 2 million cases per year is dwarfed worldwide by the sales of imitation Chablis, which total some 15 million cases in 2001 (down from 42 million cases in 1989). Negotiations between the E.U. and the producing countries have led to the cessation of production in Chile, in Australia (in 2004), and to discussions with Argentina. The United States is the major producer of imitation Chablis, with Chablis classified by the BATF regulatory agency as a "semi generic" appellation. It is produced by three large conglomerates (Constellation, Gallo, and Wine Group) as a low end wine retaining at $3-4 per 75 cl, usually packed in large containers. (Franzia "Chablis" is the largest-selling white boxed wine in the U.S, and is the antithesis of Chablis with its 11% residual sugar!) Most imitation Chablis is consumed within the U.S.; the major export target is Canada. Because the exports of (genuine) Chablis to the United States are proportionately less (at 3.5% of all exports) than exports of other white Burgundy (at 15% of total exports), it seems possible that the low reputation of imitation Chablis is in fact having an effect on sales.

Sales of Chablis
Just over half of production is exported, and 50% of that goes to the U.K. market, where sales at appellation level were pushed by a crossover in values when Chablis became cheaper than Sancerre or Pouilly Fumé in year 2000. At Premier Cru level, prices are close to Meursault, which creates a problem. Sales in the U.S. are significantly lower than other white Burgundies, due to confusion with jug wines called Chablis.