The SOMM Journal

August / September 2015

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{ SOMMjournal.com }  37 between soil and wine. It expresses characteristics in the same way we use descriptors like fruitiness, roundness, fatness. It manifests as calcareous stone flavors, saltiness, oysters shells, pencil aromas." Historically incorporated—and easily overlooked—as part of Burgundy, Chablis (confoundedly) lies closer to Champagne and Sancerre than to the Côte d'Or. Geologically, Chablis, Champagne and Sancerre could be soul mates; they all straddle the same vein of fossilized oyster beds, layers of primordial marine life and fine- grained clay and limestone soil that instills the wines with their celebrated and signature characteristic: the goût de terroir ("taste of the earth")—or minerality. "Soil is the most influential ele - ment of character and typicity," says Moreau, explaining that "Chablis lies on a cuesta or côte—a ridge with a steep face and gentle back slopes created when older layers were forced upward and outward by the weight of younger layers. This lands - cape dates to the Jurassic period (201–145 million years ago) and is distinguished by two soil types, Kimmeridgian and Portlandian. As with all great terroirs, loca - tion is king, and in Chablis geology governs the lines of demarcation between the region's four classified appellations: Grand Cru, Premier Cru, Chablis and Petite Chablis, the geology of which affects the four levels of the wines in very distinct ways says the winemaker. Kimmeridgian—the highly coveted soil that lends Chablis its steeliness—is composed of hard, multi-layered calcareous stones and marine fossils, laced with layers of clay." This celebrated, min - eral-rich lime mixture forms the strata of crescent-shaped ridges that overlook the Serein River to the south and west. "Here," says Moreau, "we find Grand Cru vineyards and wines of greater struc- ture, depth, precision and purity." Premier Cru vineyards thrive, too, in Kimmeridgian marl but are considered less advantageous due to differences in exposure and the gradient of their slopes; the best plots flank the Grand Cru sites to the north and west. Portlandian marl, a lighter, less mineral mixture of clay, sand and tiny marine sediments, informs the structure of the lower slopes and plateaus, where village-level Chablis and Petite Chablis wines are produced. Moreau describes wines from Portlandian soil as "fruitier, more tender, of a softer mineral structure." Although recent global trends favor leaner and less "oaky" styles of Chardonnay, most Chablis vintners steadfastly shun the use of new oak, believing only neutral vessels convey the true freshness, tension and polish of Chablis minerality. "We are a Gallic people, peasants," jokes Moreau. "Our terrain is difficult, but we fight for its terroir value. Perhaps it's counter- culture, but in the long run our vinification techniques—less oak, more stainless steel—will pay off with a purity that is priceless." MAP COURTESY OF BIVB GRAND PAVOIS Julien Brocard of Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard stands against a wall showing Chablis's ancient stone strata. Louis Moreau, sixth-genera- tion vintner at noted Chablis producer Domaine Louis Moreau, describes mineral- ity as "a bond between soil and wine." PHOTO COURTESY OF DOMAINE LOUIS MOREAU

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