Chablis may well be one of the most recognizable wine names and also among the most misunderstood by wine consumers. Some old-timers associate the Chablis name with cheap jug white wine. Then the French don’t help by their obsessive categorization of wine regions. So there are 4 types of Chablis which is a major wine region located in the northeast of France, all made 100% from Chardonnay.
The four types which are really appellations are: Grand Cru, Premier Cru, Chablis, and Petit Chablis. And the most understood is “Petit Chablis.” And the most likely of the four to offer super bang for your bucks is…Petit Chablis. So do I have your attention now?
Petit Chablis has nothing to do with being little, but everything to do with place and soils. That’s what most French wine is all about, in case you forgot. While the other categories of Chablis share a type of ancient limestone soil known as Kimmeridgian, Petit Chablis is grown on a more recent type of limestone categorized as Portlandian.
As vineyards were expanded in Chablis, all of the vineyards on this type of soil were most often on the higher slopes or the beginning of the plateau. In other words, on the outskirts. A relative newcomer in French wine history, Petit Chablis became official in 1944.
By today’s standards, the vineyards of Petit Chablis which now represent 20% of all Chablis are not inferior so much as they are not located on that precious ancient limestone soil. And, no surprise, Somms and influencers thrive on babbling about how much they know about the 180 million year old soils. And that rant might lead to terroir, another soil-related subject SOMMS will beat to death.
So back to plain talk and the wine that ignited this conversation.
The wine is: Prieuré Saint-Come Petit Chablis (France) 2021 $25 and I’ve seen it selling for $20.
It is bright and lively from the get-go with an aroma of fresh cut apple, and a little hint of lemongrass and citrus. The taste is again vibrant with tart apple and a chalky, crisp aftertaste that is a hallmark of Chablis. ALL Chablis. This Petit has all the right stuff without oak and is moderate in alcohol, so it invites a second glass and is ever so food-friendly.
Fresh, lively, and with no ponderous oak or alcohol, Petit Chablis is worth exploring as a white wine that happens to be made from Chardonnay. In addition to the wine mentioned earlier, here are my 5 suggestions of the leading producers of Petit Chablis.
Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard
Michel Laroche et Ses Enfants
Samuel Billaud
Domaine Jolly et Fils
Domaine Roland Lavantureux
Norm Roby's Unfiltered Guide to Savvy Wine Shopping 