Master Sommelier Theory 2026 > Chablis > Flashcards

Chablis Flashcards

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1
Q

In which department is Chablis? What is the capital?

A

Yonne
Auxerre

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2
Q

Yonne synonym for Chardonnay

A

Beaunois (from Beaune)

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3
Q

what is carbon disulfide

A

a toxic, flammable insecticide used to combat phylloxera

not curative, basically suspends the problem until the next season

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4
Q

Chablis planting density

A

min 5500 vines / ha. traditionally wider spaced than the rest of burgundy though 1x1m spacing is more common now

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5
Q

Chablis min abv

A

Chablis: 10%
Chablis “Premier Cru”: 10.5%

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6
Q

Chablis permitted training methods

A

Guyot (simple or double),
Cordon de Royat,
Taille Chablis

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7
Q

What is Taille Chablis?

A

or Chablis vine training- cordon trained, cane pruned. 3-5 permanent arms, trained vertically

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8
Q

Chablis Grand Cru min abv

A

min 11%

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9
Q

Blanchot- exposure? what does it face?

A

Blanchot has a southeast exposure, facing the premier cru Montée de Tonnerre.

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10
Q

list Chablis Grand cru east to west

A
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11
Q

list Chablis Grand cru west to east

A
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12
Q

Blanchot producers

A

Domaine Laroche,
Vocoret,
La Chablisienne,
Long-Depaquit,
François Servin,
François Raveneau

12.39 ha

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13
Q

What are William Fevre’s two Bougros bottlings?

A

“Bougros” and “Côte Bouguerots”

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14
Q

Grenouilles - majority owner?

A

La Chablisienne owns 7.20 ha of this low-lying vineyard near the River Serein, named for the grenouilles, or “frogs,” that likely make it their home.

total size is 9.38

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15
Q

What is considered the top Grand Cru of Chablis?

A

Les Clos

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16
Q

What is the largest Grand Cru of Chablis? Smallest

A

Les Clos 28.39 ha
Grenouilles 9.38 ha

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17
Q

List 3 producers of Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos

A

Louis Moreau,
Christian Moreau (both Moreau estates produce two bottlings: Les Clos and “Clos des Hospices dans le Clos”),

William Fèvre,
Vocoret,
Vincent Dauvissat,
François Raveneau,
Louis Michel

Benoît Droin,
Billaud-Simon,
François Servin,
Pinson,
Drouhin-Vaudon,

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18
Q

Which Chablis grand cru were not originally classified with the others in 1935?

A

Bougros
Preuses

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19
Q

Chablis Grand Cru La Moutonne - who/what/where

A

2.5 ha monopole of Domaine Long Depaquit (owned by Albert Bichot), unofficial Chablis Grand Cru.

it sits in a natural amphitheater, roughly 95 percent within Vaudesir, with a small protrusion into Les Preuses.

vineyard faces mostly south, relatively steep incline, so warm compared to surrounding areas

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20
Q

describe Kimmeridgean soil

A

Named for the village of Kimmeridge in Dorset, UK, the Kimmeridgian rock stratum consists of crumbly, chalky marl (clay and limestone) and contains abundant Exogyra virgula fossils—the imprints of tiny oyster shells

the loose texture of the soil helps limit vigor and yield

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21
Q

Valmur- describe geography & viticultural threats

A

in a small enclosed alley in the center of the grand cru hillside. With little wind and airflow, it acts as a heat trap in the summertime, and an easy target for cold and frost in the winter and spring.

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22
Q

describe geography of Les Clos - why is it so great

A

homogenous terroir, faces SW, kimmeridgean soil, well draining = vines have to reach deep into the limestone for water, known for intense minerality.

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23
Q

What is the river in Chablis?

A

Serein

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23
Q

“porte d’or”

A

“golden gate”

moniker for Chablis

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24
1800s - problems in Chablis
1885: Paris-Marseille railway opened, bringing cheap wines into the city, Chablis couldn't compete powdery mildew (1886) and phylloxera (1887) WWI- many vignerons and their horses forced to the frontlines
25
WWII and Chablis
devasted by German bombardment. 1945- frost almost entirely wiped out what crop there would have been, only around 400hl produced The post-war Chablis vineyard was reduced to 1-2% of its pre-phylloxera acreage
26
What year did people ski down the Chablis grand cru hillside?
1956- it was extremely snowy and cold. the 1957 vintage was completely wiped out
27
Burgundy- rot/ mildew vintages
2007 2011 2012
28
what is court noué?
grape fanlieaf virus, spread by nematodes. feared viral contagion in Burgundy that causes significant fruit set loss, stunted vine growth, and yellowing and curling of leaves
29
most pressing disease threat in Burgundy currently?
is bacterial - flavescence dorée, a disease caused by the spread of phytoplasma, specialized bacteria that are parasitic to plant material. Leafhopper insects spread the bacteria from vine to vine; growth slows, berries shrivel, leaves yellow, and the vine itself may die. Currently there is no cure beyond uprooting the vine and starting anew.
30
oh which parallel is Chablis?
48th N
31
1900s frost vintages Chablis
1945, 1951, 1953, 1957, 1985
32
ways to combat frost in Chablis
Chaufferettes (diesel-burning smudge pots, designed to heat the vines at night) aspersion- spraying water to create a thin coating of ice. must be sprayed constantly once temps are below freezing, and pipes can freeze electric heating cables, which run along the vines and keep the bud zone at a safe temperature when switched on
33
early proponents of electric heating cables in Chablis
William Fevrè and Maison Bichot, who armed their grand cru plots in Vaudésir and La Moutonne (respectively) with the technology. combats frost very effectively, but expensive
34
When was Chablis AOC established? when were premier crus added?
1938 Premiers crus were added to the basic Chablis AOP regulations in 1967
35
where are some Kimmeridgean outcrops?
Kimmeridge, Dorset , UK Sancerre the Aube hillsides of the Serein River Valley these ring the Paris Basin, which sagged under a shallow sea in the Jurassic Period
36
Describe Portlandian soils
Portlandian limestone in Chablis lacks the multitudes of fossilized seashells that characterize Kimmeridgian marl, and it is younger, formed 130 million years ago. Portlandian soils—those that overlay Portlandian limestone—are sandier and thinner than Kimmeridgian soils it covers Kimmeridgean soil in parts of Chablis, is a harder cap-rock, has less clay
37
When was Petit Chablis AOC established?
established in 1944, found a home for Chardonnay wines produced on the plateaus of Portlandian limestone-derived soils—often higher, colder, and wind-exposed areas
38
approx how large is the Chablis grand cru vineyard?
100ha. 2km stretch of hillsides curving around the Serein facing S and SW
39
max yields Chablis?
Chablis: 60 hl/ha Chablis "Premier Cru": 58 hl/ha Chablis Grand Cru: 54 hl/ha
40
what is Union des Grands Crus de Chablis?
private organization whose membership controls roughly half of the Chablis Grand Cru AOP acreage. Chablis Grand Cru AOP wines bearing the seal of the organization have been subjected to a blind tasting to authenticate quality, and are not released to the public until January 1 of the second year after the harvest.
41
Union des Grands Crus des Chablis rules
8k vines/ha organic fertilizers manual harvest GC/vintage on cork or cap earliest release Jan 1 of year 2
42
Union des Grands Crus des Chablis members
William Fevre Vignoble Dampt Domaine Collet Simmonet Febvre Domaine Laroche Long Depaquit + others
43
Notable right bank premier crus Chablis
Berdiot, Côte de Vaubarousse, Fourchaume, Les Fourneaux, Mont de Milieu, Montée de Tonnerre* Vaucoupin
44
Notable left bank premier crus Chablis
Beauroy, Chaume de Talvat, Côte de Léchet, Côte de Jouan, Les Beauregards, Montmains* Vau de Vey, Vaillons* Vosgros, Vau Ligneau
45
what is considered the top premier cru in Chablis? who bottles?
Montée de Tonnerre Raveneau, Dauvissat, Patrick Piuze, William Fevre, Olivier Leflaive
46
Montée de Tonnere climats?
Chapelot, on the low-lying slopes of the spur Cote de Brechain & Pied d'Aloup occupy the steeper, top portions of the vineyard. Montée de Tonnere parcel- north of Chapelot
47
Les Fourneaux lieu dit?
Morein and Côte de Prés Girots. The parcels are noncontiguous.
48
Les Fourneaux climate?
named "the furnace" because it's mesoclimate is relatively warm. it faces south, and is far enough south that it is sheltered from cool northerly winds
49
what direction do chablis premier cru face?
Right bank: generally SW Left bank: generally SE
50
Fourchaume lieu dit? aspect?
Côte de Fontenay L'Homme Mort Vaulorent Vaupulent W/SW
51
Fourchaume - where? who bottles?
Right bank Chablis William Fevre, Chablisienne, Domaine Pinson Domaine Laroche, Roland Lavantereux
52
Montmains - lieu dit?
Forêts and Butteaux
53
Vaillons lieu dit?
Beugnons Chatains Sécher Les Lys Mélinots Roncières Les Épinottes
54
Raveneau top bottlings
Chablis, Grand Cru, Les Clos Chablis, Grand Cru, Blanchot Chablis, Grand Cru, Valmur Chablis, Premier Cru, Montée de Tonnerre Chablis, Premier Cru, Mont Mains Chablis, Premier Cru, Vaillons Chablis, Premier Cru, Butteaux Chablis, Premier Cru, Chapelot Chablis, Premier Cru, Forêt
55
Raveneau winemaking style
Fermentation lasts two weeks in cuve (tank or vat), and then the wine goes through malolactic fermentation. The wines are aged in old oak barrels and feuillette for 18 months.
56
Dauvissat top bottlings
Chablis, Grand Cru, Les Clos Chablis, Grand Cru, Les Preuses Chablis, Premier Cru, La Forest Chablis, Premier Cru, Séchet Chablis, Premier Cru, Vaillons
57
Dauvissat winemaking style
grapes pressed whole cluster. Fermentation happens in enameled steel and aging is always in oak. Vincent prefers to age the wines in 6-8 year-old barrels. The wines go through malolactic fermentation spontaneously, and tartrates are precipitated naturally. Unlike most producers in the region Vincent does not perform bâtonnage on his wines.
58
Patrick Piuze top bottlings
Chablis, Grand Cru, Blanchots Chablis, Grand Cru, Bougros Chablis, Grand Cru, Bougros, Cote de Bouqueyreaux Chablis, Grand Cru, Les Clos Chablis, Grand Cru, Les Preuses Chablis, Grand Cru, Valmur Chablis, Premier Cru, Butteaux Chablis, Premier Cru, Forêts Chablis, Premier Cru, Montée de Tonnerre Chablis, Premier Cru, Roncières Chablis, Premier Cru, Vaucoupin Chablis, Premier Cru, Vaillons, "Les Minots" *he owns no vineyards
59
Patrick Piuze winemaking style
Piuze used a vertical press, similar to Roulot, in order to introduce oxygen early in the process. Piuze uses ambient yeast for fermentation, which lasts between three to six months. Wines go through malolactic fermentation and are aged in stainless steel and older oak barrels. There is no bâtonnage. His village wines are labeled by village as in "Terroir de Courgis" and fermented/aged mostly in tank. Wines are bottled with a light clay filtration.
60
French word for smudgepots
bougies
61
Forets- where? who bottles?
lieu dit of premier cru Montmains, on left bank in Chablis Raveneau Dauvissat Moreau-Naudet Louis Michel
62
How many premier cru in Chablis?
40 total, but 17 main
63
Chablis avg sunlight/rain?
1800 hours/year 25.5in/year
64
what are feuillettes?
traditional Chablis barrel - 132L; rare in actual production but remains the official unit of measurement for growers selling to negoce
65
Irancy AOP - what/where
reds from Pinot Noir + max 10% combined PG, César Yonne
66
Saint-Bris AOP- what/where
whites from Sauv Blanc & Sauv Gris, no assemblage dictated Yonne
67
Vezelay AOP - what/where
whites 100% Chardonnay Yonne
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