Topic

The 7 Grand Crus of Chablis

Date July 21, 2023

Words by Matt Tervooren

Grand Cru wines account for just 1% of Chablis production, and all of it comes from a single hillside along the Serein River. That is to say, it’s not the same Chablis you drink ice-cold out of plastic cups by the pool. These wines are rich, complex, and collectible. The style peaks with Raveneau and Dauvissat - to be fair, most bottlings from those two are better than Grand Cru Chablis from anyone else - but no matter the producer, it’s worth knowing what to expect from each of the seven Grand Crus of Chablis.

Blanchot

These are the most citrusy, floral, and lean Grand Cru wines in Chablis. Raveneau makes the best ‘Blanchot’, while Vocoret’s offers excellent value.

Bougros

Bougros yields richly fruited wines. They’re ripe and forward, meaning they don’t require as much aging as most Grand Crus. Patrick Piuze makes a top-class example.

Grenouilles

Grenouilles has a similar profile to Bougros in that the wines are ripe and approachable. The vast majority is helmed by one producer, La Chablisienne.

Les Clos

All of Chablis’ top producers make ‘Les Clos’, and at its apex, the wines are right there with Valmur at the top of Chablis’ quality hierarchy. ‘Les Clos’ is elegant, concentrated, and long-lived. Dauvissat ‘Les Clos’ is as collectible as any Chablis out there.

Preuses

These intensely mineral wines have the ability to be simultaneously ethereal and full, a seriously compelling combination most clearly on display in ‘Preuses’ from Dauvissat.

Valmur

This is arguably Chablis’ best Grand Cru, and Raveneau ‘Valmur’ is perhaps the region’s single greatest wine. Valmur is fine-tuned and mineral, typically requiring significant age to come together in the bottle.

Vaudésir

Vaudésir has both north and south-facing slopes, meaning you can’t tell a whole lot without knowing exactly where a given producer’s plot is. La Moutonne is a highly acclaimed plot located primarily within Vaudésir.