Geology of the Chablis vineyard

1-   Geological origin of the vineyards: Kimmeridgian marl derived from the depths of the sea.
2-   Formed during the secondary era: It is formed of white clay and fossilized shells (Ostrea virgula).
3-   Specificity: With its very high iodine content,   the Kimmeridgian soil in Chablis gives this dry white wine an inimitable character:
      mineral with "suave, salt iodine" notes which, associated with lemon, bursts forth with mouth-filling freshness and finesse.
      The Chardonnay grape then becomes chablis.

        Men and the Chablis vineyards

4- The Celts firstly, followed by the Romans were the first winegrowers. It is said that Justinian the Roman organized the vineyards around the configuration that we know today.

5-   In the XII and XIII centuries the Cistercian monks (Cluny abbey) drew up the very first land register covering the best
      wine-producing land in Chablis. Within a radius of a few kilometres around the village of Chablis and over a total surface area of
      around 1800 hectares (1 hectare = 2.47 acres), the land register was divided into two categories: Chablis Première and Chablis
      Seconde. This classification is based on the geology and geographical lie of the land.

The vineyards and their first economic difficulties

6- 1865: Destruction of the vines by the phylloxera plague. It took a whole generation of winegrowers to restore the vines.
For replanting, the Chardonnay was solely grafted onto phylloxera-resistant wood stock.

7-   Thereafter, Chablis and its Grandes Appellations came into indisputable renown. The Chablis Grands Crus rivalled in quality and
      worth with the Grands Crus from the Côte-d'Or region: a Grand Cru Les Clos was marketed on the same price basis as a Corton
      Charlemagne or Bâtard Montrachet. Burgundy flourished and prospered, predominating with its high-ranking vineyards.
      These were the golden 1900's.

60 years of misery and agony.... The sacrifice of generations!

8- 1914/1918 First World War: Many young winegrowers from Chablis were lost in the tragedy. For the Chablis vineyards the losses reached over 250 young men. With no more qualified labour the economy of the vineyards collapsed, the land-owning upper middle class was ruined. three quarters of the vines were uprooted. To survive, mixed farming was introduced giving priority to cereals and livestock breeding. With the dismantling of the vineyards and growing of other crops, the microclimate underwent change. Spring frosts brought havoc to the remaining vineyards, and it became impossible to continue producing Chablis wine. Chablis was lost to all commercial sectors both in France and abroad.

9- 1935: Introduction of the Appellations d'Origine Controlée (A.O.C.), the label guaranteeing the origin of wine.

10- New Classification of the production areas under 4 Appellations: Petit Chablis – chablis – chablis premiers crus – chablis grands crus. The Premiers Crus and Grands Crus are identified by the name of the "climat" (the name of the place of production as entered in the land registry ). Example: chablis premier cru montée de tonnerre, chablis grand cru Les clos.

11- Establishment of a national institute to monitor origin labels: Institut National des Appellations d'Origine (I.N.A.O.).

12- 1939/1945 Second World War: Chablis sank further and further into immeasurable economic depression, the local wine trade became morose if not to say inexistent. The winegrowers attempted to group together by setting up a cooperative in the hope of preserving their profession. The economic actors in Paris and its region abandoned Chablis to the benefit of Sancerre wines, less exposed to frost with more balanced production. In Burgundy only the Côte d'Or, with its Grands Crus and better structured economy, was able to remain present on the French and international market.

Renaissance of the Chablis vineyards

13- 1960/1965: The Chablis vineyards slowly rose from their ashes. The banks followed by industry turned to their attention to the wine-producing universe. Mechanisation of the grape crops was developed; the first vinification technologies and modern Oenology were gradually introduced; sales outlets (United States, Great Britain, Belgium) were re-opened; Estate bottling became more widespread. Mixed farming progressively gave way to the Grandes Appellations.

14- 1965-1970: The activity of the vineyards became viable and prosperous once again. Equipment to fight Spring frosts was
improved; the production of Chablis wines became evenly distributed over a surface area of approximately 1800 hectares ;
the Grandes Appellations in the heart of the vineyards restored panache and renown to the name Chablis.

Extension of the appellations

15- 1970-1975: The vineyards confirmed their renaissance. The villages around Chablis were grouped together within the district of
      Chablis. Villagers changed from cereal crops to wine growing, for many it was a new profession. Vines came to be planted
      everywhere where the land had Appellation registration, regardless of the geology and lie of the land. The quality of the wines and
      the typicality of each area were no longer an important item. Even further, some zones were reclassified to become Chablis
      Premier Cru or even Grand Cru. This runaway extension led by a frenzy of speculation today covers a total of around 4500 to
      5000 hectares.

Chablis: are its vineyards following along the right direction ?

16- 1980/2004: Chablis wine is sold all over the world. The name has become magic again, as it was under the reign of Louis XIV.
The extension of the growth region and its rapid expansion have not always been accompanied by an equivalent improvement in quality.

17- Across the world new producers are arriving on the market and making their mark. Competition is opening up and is fierce.

18- To maintain their world leadership as producers of the greatest Grandes Appellations, the French vineyards and their true winegrowers must pay faultless attention to care of the vines planted on the Grands Terroirs benefiting from the best soil, slope
and climate.

19- To resist and put to advantage their talent in this profession, French winegrowers must work with love and passion, repelling speculators and label profiteers. They must, unless they too may disappear, produce little by concentrating on wines of exception. A necessity that also applies to the Chablis vineyards.

                                                                       New generations of winegrowers

20- Chablis, a new generation of young winegrowers has perfectly gauged the importance of the soil and the quality of the wines
        it can yield. More particularly, these young winegrowers are able to merge modernity and tradition with talent. The profession of
        winegrower is refocusing on the vine. Vinification is better carried out with more suitable equipment. The questioning of some
        cultivation practices and methods is a current issue. Harsh filtration, tartaric cold-precipitation etc.. are the subject of in-depth
        thinking on the Estates which invest, research and work on perfection. The long-standing reputation of winegrowing France will
        be built upon products of exception and not upon abundance and the ordinary.

Bernard Billaud-Simon.