Le Mouxetaire; Chablis.

Chablis; northern outpost of the Burgundy region. Halfway between our home in the UK and Moux in the Aude department. It’s also roughly halfway between Calais and Cahors, so it’s a great stopping point for holidays and my current journeys.

Chablis is unique. In the rest of Burgundy, both red and white wines can take the name of the local village. Chablis wines are always white, always Chardonnay; that fact about the grape is not known to everyone, partly because France prefers not to name it on the bottle.

Chablis is also my favourite, Burgundy Chardonnay. The extra hour north of the rest of the region, and the chalky soil, give it a lightness, but still a good body, and that steely buttery flavour for which it’s famous.

If you visit Chablis, or you decide to do some wine tasting visits, or have never tried the wines of Chablis, there is only one place to start; the Cave Co-operative, Chablisienne. In my wine tasting and buying career it was one of the first places we visited. It’s welcoming, accessible, affordable and a prime example of the co-operative system (I’ll do a future blog on that). You can find examples of all the wines of Chablis there, taste them all, buy any.

We first visited Chablis in 1994, buying wines from the Cave Co-operative, including their monopole; Chateau Grenouille. That same trip, we also visited an independent grower; Alain Geoffroy.

In 2003, after too long a break, we visited again and bought some Vielle Vignes, two Premier Crus; Mont de Milieu and Fourchaume, and a Grand cru; Chateau Grenouille. Because we had bought quite a few bottles, we were given a box of Vieille vignes halves, as a cadeau (present).

Every time we’ve stayed in Chablis we stay at the Logis, Hostellerie des Clos. In 2004 we did a short wine tour, including Champagne and Chablis, and stayed in the newly acquired rooms, away from the main Logis, bought from William Fevre estate. Their tasting room was close by, so we tried and bought some of Fevre’s premier cru; Beuroy and Les Lys. On that trip we also visited Domaine Long Depaquit. We bought six Grand cru; Vaudesir, and six Beugnon; 1er cru.

In 2005 we returned on the way to our first holiday in Caillac, on the Lot, calling in at Fevre; 1er cru Montee de Tonerre and Grand cru Bougros. We also visited the Coop to get Grand cru; Blanchot, and 1er cru Grande Cuvee.

In 2007 we spent our holiday in Marseille for 3 games of the Rugby world cup. We had booked to stay in Chablis again on our return journey. This time; Chablisienne Beauroy and Montee de Tonerre, and William Fevre Les Vaillons and Beuroy.

So, having covered all the premier cru areas of Chablis, that was it for some time. We didn’t have a shortage. For our subsequent holidays we sped south to the Lot and focused on Cahors.

It wasn’t until 2011 that we did a 1000 mile round trip to take in Champagne, Chablis and a rugby game between London Irish and Racing Metro. So lose to Christmas, we found that William Fevre had closed their shop. So we went again to Long Depaquit. I wish we had gone there every time. We were treated to a tasting of three wines, and learned a lot about use of Oak; Les Lys (south facing and unoaked), Vaucoupins (10% oaked) and Forets (north east facing and 100% oaked – the percentage matured in oak barrels). As it matured I’ve developed a taste for the more oaky Chablis.

All this brings me to 2015, and the increased opportunity to visit on my journeys down to Moux. I decided I would visit the old favourites and, as I discovered them, some new properties. In February I made a return to Long Depaquit, where I bought Les Lys, Les Vaucoupins, and Les Vaillons. Unfortunately they didn’t have Forets. I also bought only 2 bottles of their monopole Grand cru; Mouton. At the Cave Coop I bought some more Vielle Vignes; great value for money.

In March, at the Manoir aux quat’ saisons, I saw they stocked Domaine Patte Loup (aka Pico). So in April, I searched for the Domaine in the small village of Courgis, south west of Chablis. After finding their newly built cave, and meeting Thomas Pico himself, I bought six of his Vent d’Ange (wind of angels) and two 1er cru Butteaux.

To finish I revisited the Chablisienne and bought twelve half bottles of Vielle Vignes, Montee de Tonnere and Mont de Milieu.

Finally, at the end of June, under searing heat, I stayed in the Logis again and tried a half from an unfamiliar and organic (biodynamique) grower; Jean-Marc Brocard. With my recent visit to three organic properties; two in Savennieres, and Chateau Guiraud in Sauternes, I decided to visit. Jean-Marc Brocard’s operation is in the next village to Courgis; Préhy. So I found the property easily and bought twelve halves of his Vielle Vignes, and six of his Mont de Milieu.