Though born far from the sea, Petit-Chablis nevertheless has a tang of ozone about it which calls for oysters, raw fish, and prawns (raw, grilled, or in sauce). It also makes a willing partner for small river fish (fried), grilled sardines, and numerous other fish species. But above all it is its frisky and energetic character which constitutes its charm. In the same way, it lends definition to tripe sausages (andouillettes) and snails (escargots). Goat’s cheese is perfectly at ease with its roguish appeal, as are pressed or hard cheeses such as Gouda or Gruyère. Its freshness and simplicity make it an ideal wine for summer salads or as a pre-dinner drink - try serving it with savory puff pastries (gougères).
Village Appellation of the Chablis wine-growing district (dept. of Yonne) in the north of Burgundy.
Producing communes : this appellation may be grown in any of the communes within the delimited area of the Chablis wine-growing district.
The vineyards of the Petit-Chablis appellation lie on either side of the River Serein. This AOC was instituted in 1944. It is one of the jewels in the crown of the Chablis district which, lying in the northernmost department of Burgundy, forms the « golden gate » to the region as a whole. A Chardonnay wine through and through, « Petit » Chablis has, in fact, nothing « little » about it.
These carefully selected terroirs occupy the higher portions of the winegrowing slopes or the edge of the plateau. The soils are brown and derived from hard limestones, with patches of sandy silts. Altitudes : mostly between 230 and 280 metres.
Grapes were pressed immediately after the picking, the juice was settled, the fermentation started with the addition of selected yeasts in stainless steel tanks under controlled temperatures (18°C) to preserve as much fruit as possible.
In order to get a suppler wine, we let the malolactic fermentation begin 10 days after the alcoholic fermentation; it ended in the end of November. The wine is then aged on partial lees for 4 to 5 months.
Uncertain weather conditions, but mild in the end throughout the season!
In the Chablis area, some winegrowers started harvesting as August was ending, but most of them started harvesting in the first days of September.
The harvesters were relatively unaffected by the rains, which fell either in the late afternoon or at night. The foliage, which was still in good health, benefited from it. Thanks to the rain, juice concentration was limited and the bunches of grapes were able to provide a good balance between sugar content and acidity.
Balanced, honest white wines. A pleasant vintage in terms of quality with excellent yields for both whites and reds.
The vinification choices have been crucial as to whether to favour acidity or the alcoholic degree.
PDF file