French Chablis & Oak Aging

I think most producers use some oak in their Grand Crus (maybe Louis Michel and a few others don't).There's a wider spectrum in the Premier Crus and regional level wines. Some use all stainless steel, some age part of the crop in SS and rest in oak, some use old foundres, others new barriques, etc.

Producers I think of for unoaked Chablis: Picq, Louis Michel, Barat, Brocard

in between producers (maybe SS for Chablis AC, some wood for 1ers): both Dauvissats, Savary, Droin, Laroche , La Chablisenne (co-op)

Use a lot of wood: Raveneau, Fevre, Verget, Laurent Tribut

Others here might have more precise knowledge, this is just based on personal tastes and some reading. I don't buy a lot of GC Chablis, I like it, but don't buy much. Dale

Dale Williams Drop "damnspam" to reply

Dear Bob

Oak or no oak is a big discussion in Chablis.

A general rule is that Petit Chablis and Chablis are vinified in stainless steel tanks. The Premiers Crus is a mixture of tank and oak and Grands Crus is mostly oak.

Chablis has a unique terroir, The Chablis vineyards are situated on unique and complex soils formed from an Upper Jurassic sea-bed about 180 million years ago. Lime-clay soils are dominant here, but the geological originality of appellation Chablis resides in its sub-strata, often quite near the surface, of kimmeridgean limestone, formed by billions of tiny fossilised oyster shells: ostrea virgula. It is this prized "Kimmeridgian" limestone which contributes to the special character of Chablis. This is why so many growers prefer tank which doesn't change this unique character.

The other producers believe they can have both, getting the complex aromas and structure from the oak and still keep the mineral edge.

I have made/tasted both and there is no one winner. With all wines you must adapt your vineyard/vinfication techniques to the character of the terroir.

Marc

Two examples in Chablis

Jean Marc Brocard - No Oak

William Fevre - Mostly Oak but it has been reduced.

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AFAIK, legally there's nothing preventing them from oak aging. Chablis is generally not oak-aged because that's not what Chablis is. BUT I have had some Grand Cru's that are heavily oaked. The fact is oaked Chardonnay is more popular and your Meursault's and Montrachet's are more popular/command better prices. So some Grand Cru produceer's have begun oaking. I *believe* it's less common among the