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Detailed introduction to Chablis: white Wine From Burgandy.:
Created during the Roman era, the vineyards of Chablis flourished between the 9th and 12th centuries, thanks to monks of Saint-Martin de Tours. In 867 Saint Martin's followers were bequeathed land and started vineyards on the hillsides just across the river Serein. This is clearly the historical heart of Chablis' vineyard, and forms the site of today's Grands Crus.
From the 13th century, the importance of Chablis' wines increased, both geographically and commercially. They became a major contributor to the town's budget By 1328, the vineyard was estimated at 500 hectares, divided amongst 450 different owners. Comments of the time, such as "...as clear as spring water", "...keeps excellently", show Chablis' specific status amongst French wines.
In the 18th century, whilst the rest of the Yonne extensively planted other varieties producing higher yields but of lower quality, Chablis' vinegrowers remained true to the chardonnay grape that had established the renown of their wines. It was the perennity of this quality, linked to a relative shortage of fine wines, that created the reputation of Chablis.Was the presence of the sole Chardonnay variety a sufficient criteria of "authenticity", or should there also be a soil factor, such as the presence of kimmeridgian limestone ?
And how should the vineyards be ranked, and on what basis ?
In 1919 a consensus was reached on a small number of vineyards sites that had been known and observed over centuries : Vaudésir, Grenouilles, Valmur, Les Clos and Blanchots.
In 1938, Preuses and Bougros (initially spelt Bouguerots) joined them, forming the appellation Chablis Grand Cru with its seven individual sites, or... "Climats".
Of course, in Chablis, exist, either 1er Crus...and just AOC.
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