05/22/07 Chardonnay Pt 2

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran and today is part two of our series about Chardonnay. Today we're going to explore the major differences in the Chardonnay from the Chablis region of France. French wines for the most part have a good reputation and there are very strict quality controls to ensure this. However, one of the most misunderstood names for a French white wine is Chablis. It suffers because to many Americans it is synonymous with ordinary bulk white wine. When it comes to the Chablis' of France, that is so far from reality. The region of France called Chablis is in the northern area of Burgundy and produces only white wine. Chablis is white wine made from the Chardonnay grape. The wines are classified by the quality level of the vineyards. For example a label that reads only Chablis, can be from anywhere in the region. However, a label that reads Chablis Premiere Cru indicates a very good quality wine that comes from specific high quality vineyards. The highest classification would be the Chablis Grand Cru, of which there are only around seven vineyards, and these wines are very limited in production and yes, as a result somewhat expensive. The longevity of the wines falls in line with the level of quality. A standard Chablis will last about two years from its vintage, a Premiere Cru two to four years and a Grand Cru three to five years. So - when it comes to the Chardonnay of Chablis France - they are not all created equal. Remember to send your wine questions to Linda at vine to wine dot net and thanks for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.