

The Chablis region is the northern most wine district of Burgundy's Cote d'Or. Monks from the Abbey of Pontigny founded in 1114 were the first to plant Chardonnay grapes in Chablis on the slopes surrounding the River Serein, making a dry white wine renowned for the purity of its aroma and flavours of lemon and minerals.

The Burgundian town most famous for its Chardonnay wines is Chablis. Sample ItinerariesĬhardonnay is relatively easy to grow and tolerant of a wide variety of soil and climatic conditions an has thus been grown very successfully all over the world. Today, these sparkling wines are made under the AOC of Cremant de Bourgogne and we can visit one of the largest caves to sample a complete range of cuvées. The area was always known for its fine Chardonnay grapes and an important supplier of grapes to Champagne in the 19th century. Historically, Chablis was one of the first locations in Burgundy at the beginning of the 19th century to make fine sparkling wines. Many Grand Cru and Premier Cru wines receive some maturation in oak barrels, but typically the time in barrel and the proportion of new barrels is much smaller than for the white wines produced in the Cote de Beaune. The wines are mostly vinified in stainless steel tanks often have a "flinty" or “steel” note, with much less influence of oak. The cool climate of this region produces wines with more acidity and flavors less fruity than Chardonnay wines grown in warmer climates. Chablis is located the northernmost wine region of the Burgundy.
