So boom, we land and it’s right to work.
The Bureau de Interprofessonielle de Vins de Bourgogne in Chablis started off our tour with the apex of knowledge; given on the apex of Chablis. On the top of the Grand Cru Hill, Sandrine Audegond, author, lecturer and wine merchant, gave us an in depth look at Chablis.
She explained how Chablis differs from its southern counterparts in Côte d’Or. “The latitude is much more like Champagne… and our region is built on valleys, not [continuous] slopes.” As you look across the landscape you see just how open Chablis is, sun piercing through the landscape, not a parcel hidden from its rays. The terrain sinks in and rises again creating peaks and valleys of different depths, widths and orientations. “Winemakers depend on our short and intense summers,” she continues.
“If it doesn’t ripen now it’s not going to ripen,” I jest but she agrees. “Yes! It’s very short, intense time. The skins too must be almost wet with ripeness.” Even in warmer vintages, Chablis is never overpoweringly ripe but always accompanied by minerality; edges of lime or lemon rinds pressed by chalk, scents of clay after rain, the sensation of drinking water from a cool mountain river.
As village level Chablis represents 44% of the export, ripeness becomes key in maintaining the reputation of Chablis wines. Within the past 10 years, winemakers, at the village level, have come to blend particular plots to create a distinct wine, even going so far as to highlight a single vineyard site.
After a few more questions, and photos with the incredible backdrop of Chablis, we headed back down the hill to the BIVB to taste 23 medal-winning wines from the 2023 Chablis Wine Competition.
We visited several of award winning producers later on in the week, and were we happy to do so! Level of quality in the wines was not subjective; some of our favorites were bronze award winners, and even Petit Chablis was something to take note. As Julia and I kept talking food pairings, the need to mange grew stronger.
We walked across the street to our hotel, Hostellerie du Clos to freshen up for dinner at the bistro downstairs.
The Hostellerie’s restaurant, Bistro du Grand Cru has a phenomenal wine list. At 7:30pm when the bistro opens, you’re whisked to the patio for aperitif, then summoned to your table for dinner after you order.
Granted, the bistro is one of the only places open on Mondays, but it doesn’t deter the level of service and culinary magic one expects from France. From the gigantic goucher, the steamy garlic butter escargot to the perfectly seasoned filet and potato, I was in food heaven.
The BIVB generously took care of our wines on the trip, and Julia and I decided we were going to explore the various regions within. Julia had requested a lighter bodied pinot, and one from a female winemaker. After searching the list, a small region called Joigny called to me. I landed on the 2018 Cuvée Prestige Bourgogne Côte de Saint Jacques from Domaine de la Croix-Saint-Jacques. This elegant medium-plus bodied pinot is from the most northern Bourgogne appellation between Champagne and Chablis.
The Joigny region consists of chalky subsoils littered with flinty clay that allow the pinot noir to hang on to freshness while creating lucious tannins. The South/South-east exposition combined with the river’s microclimate protects the region from the dreaded spring frosts.
Dating back to the 1500’s winemaking returned to the estate in 1982 with famed chef Michel Lorain and terroir specialist Claude Bourguignon. In 2010 the Janisson family of Champagne purchased the historic domaine, issuing oneologist Elise Bertin at the helm.
With a dedication to a higher standard of environmentally friendly practices, the balance of earth and fruit played out magically against the hearty beouff filets in front of us. The resurrection of Joigny as a maker of gastronomic wines was made apparent with each moment the wine sat developing in the glass or bottle. The pepper and slightly nutmegged roundness of the dish popped against the blacked cherries and licorice of the wine.
Day one of Black Wine Professionals in Chablis was a complete success and was just a taste of what was to come next.
The Joigny selection had created a theme that would reveal itself as the trip went on. A new Croix would be resurrected and would cause us to cry out with joie.
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