# La Chablisienne Chablis Premier Cru 'Grande Cuvée' (2018)

- **Producer:** La Chablisienne
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Chardonnay
- **Region:** Burgundy, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.0%
- **Average price:** €45
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** peach, nectarine, lemon, orange, apricot, butter, vanilla, cloves

## About this wine

La Chablisienne, founded in 1923 by Abbé Balitrand, is one of Burgundy's premier cooperative wineries, overseeing nearly a quarter of the total vineyard surface in Chablis. The 'Grande Cuvée' represents a harmonious master blend of Premier Cru vineyard sites located across both the left and right banks of the Serein River. Growing in ancient Kimmeridgian clay-limestone soils rich in fossilized marine shell fragments, this cuvée brings together diverse microclimates to deliver a complete perspective of the Chablis 1er Cru tier.

## Interesting facts

- Founded in 1923, La Chablisienne manages about 25% of all vineyard land in the Chablis appellation.
- The Grande Cuvée blends grapes from both the right and left banks of the Serein River for balance.
- Vineyards are planted in Kimmeridgian soil containing fossilized prehistoric oyster shells (Exogyra virgula).

## Food pairing

High natural acidity and mineral crispness make this wine an ideal counterpart to rich seafood, shellfish, and light poultry dishes. The wine's structural tension cuts through rich butter or light cream sauces, while its marine-soil heritage creates a natural synergy with fresh oysters and delicate herbs.

## Wine making process

Grapes are harvested from sustainably farmed vines with an average age of 25 years. After harvest, static cold settling (débourbage) takes place before fermentation. Both alcoholic and malolactic fermentations occur in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks and oak barrels. The wine is subsequently aged for approximately 12 months on fine lees in a combination of stainless steel tanks and oak barrels to develop texture while preserving terroir focus.