The joys of drinking Chablis Premier Cru

Sipping a delightful crisp Chablis Premier Cru the other night I was reminded why this is one of my favourite white wines.   

Chablis is a town north of Burgundy, one of  France’s northerly  wine producing regions, so growing grapes here can be difficult .That means you have to pick your wines carefully. 

Made from the chardonnay grape, there are four different levels of this wine starting with Petit Chablis, Chablis followed by Chablis Premier Cru and Chablis Grand Cru. In my opinion the latter two are definitely worth spending that little bit extra on. These wines are completely different in style and taste from chardonnays. Here are three Chablis Premier Crus that I have recently enjoyed.

Chablis, Vosgros, Premier Cru, 2012,  Didier et Pascal Picq, Berry Bros. & Rudd (www.bbr.com) £22
A zippy well-balanced wine soaked with flavours of green apples tempered by  a minerally accent and crème fraîche tangs. Exactly what you expect a textbook Chablis Premier Cru to be. This is wonderful wine.  

Chablis, Vaillons, Premier Cru, 2012 Domaine Gérard Duplessis  Berry Bros. & Rudd (www.bbr.com) £22.50
A classically-styled Chablis that impresses from the first sip. Citrus-drenched with a smattering of nuttiness, this is a fantastic wine that is a pleasure to drink.  

Esprit de Chablis Chablis Premier Cru, Waitrose, £18.99
Crunchy apples with a smattering of lemon and orange, this zappy wine, made especially for Waitrose, has superb depth and flavour. A real treat especially with seared scallops.

By Daralyn Danns