If you have never tried Chablis wine (from the namesake region of Burgundy), you owe it to yourself to try it.  From the Chardonnay grape, the wine delights with aromas and flavors that make you think that the California version is a separate variety. 

There are seven grand crus of Chablis, producing the top of the line wines: Blanchot, Bougros, Les Clos, Grenouilles, Les Preuses, Valmur and Vaudesir.  While each sub-region of offers its own nuances, these wines tend to be mouthwatering crisp, clean and lemony with perhaps hints of peach, floral elements and an outstanding balance of acidity and mineralilty.  They’re often described as wines with great finesse and can include scents of wet stone, sea salt, beeswax, honey and even iodine.  Chablis owes its steely character to its northern clime and the geology of the soils, the vines planted in crumbled fossilized chalk, marl and limestone deposited by an invading sea nearly 140 million years ago.

The wines can be fermented and stored in either stainless steel containers or older wood casks.  Most now undergo some degree of malolactic fermentation to soften the edges of what thirty years ago was a wine with bracing acidity, hard edges and closed up for years.  Top Chablis also offer significant aging potential, the years softening the edges just a bit without destroying the clarity, vibrancy and energy of the wine.

While many consumers might think of a California Chardonnay or a Sauvignon Blanc as a go to wine for shellfish (and they do work by the way), you are missing something special if you ignore Chablis.  With its faint seaweedy quality, it’s a stellar match for shrimp, raw or grilled, as well as well as raw oysters, mussels, scallops and clams.  Oysters are simply a salty ball of fat and the Chablis cuts through with perfection.  Chablis also works well with lobster if you’re searching for a less rich and cleaner alternative to a California Chardonnay.  A white Burgundy (another French Chardonnay) or Champagne works beautifully, as well.  Chablis also pairs very well with delicate fish.  Try pairing it with a white fish such as Dover Sole or halibut or sautéed trout.  By the way, don’t restrict Chablis pairing to just shellfish and fish.  It works very well with grilled pork (loin) and roasted chicken, fried foods, the acidity cutting through the fried fats, goat cheese, and vegetable dishes.

While Chablis is not abundant in Tucson, the Joseph Drouhin Premier Cru is accessible.  I have a stash of the ‘07’s and they’re wonderful!  It runs around $35/bottle and will age nicely for years.  Some additional producers to look for are Jean Marc Brocard (I had some a few years ago and they’re beautiful), Joseph Faiveley, William Fevre and Christian Moreau Pere & Fils. 

Tags: Chablis, Chardonnay, seafood, shellfish