Where Art Thou Chablis? - Chablis 2021 & 2022

BY NEAL MARTIN | SEPTEMBER 19, 2023

Not much happens in Chablis. A cat crossing the road is front-page news. That’s why I love it. Chablis, not the cat. It’s an oasis of tranquillity. A bijou picture postcard town dotted with dog-eared, timeworn buildings, artisan patisseries and boulangeries, an idyllic river lined by Hockney-colored flowers and a couple of restaurants worth driving a long way for.

Looking down towards Fils du Zinc restaurant in central Chablis, flowers in bloom.

Time moves at its own pace in Chablis and its featureless environs, and I use that word featureless positively. Yet, there are hints of change in the air, notably the new Cité du Vin opposite the BIVB offices for tourists. Looks lovely. On the other hand, not entirely unexpectedly, it was empty when I popped in. The adjoining café I tried to order an espresso in was devoid of all forms of life. Out in the vineyards, little has changed, though look more carefully, and there are innovations such as some Grand Crus fitted with electrical wires to protect them against frost. Expensive but effective. Chablis has not witnessed an influx of outside investment like the Côte d’Or, even if William Fèvre can now call Lafite-Rothschild a roommate. Chablis may appear unchanging, but this is not the case meteorologically, with two significantly different growing seasons in 2021 and 2022. Here’s the question…

Which represents true Chablis? What is the fate of Chablis if hot, dry seasons like 2022 portend the future?

The 2021 Growing Season