Petit Chablis AOC

Petit Chablis Appellation

Shall we taste?

Dry white wine

Appearance: The colour is discreet, brilliant and limpid. Light gold, often tending towards pale yellow, with emerald highlights.

Nose: Aromas of white fruit, peach, apricot and apple mingle with those of lime blossom and acacia. Very fresh, the mineral side of the nose stands out strongly.

Palate: The palate is fine, light and crystalline, with a lovely acidic backbone. The overall impression is one of minerality and iodine, characteristic of the Chablis vineyards. The finish is persistent, with a controlled balance between full-bodiedness and freshness.

Ageing potential: 5 to 10 years.

Serving temperature: Serve chilled, around 8°C as an aperitif and 10°C with a meal.

Food & wine pairings

Dry white wine

Its strong iodine flavour makes it an ideal accompaniment to seafood, mussels, oysters, grilled or raw prawns, and fish tartars. Fried river fish with a tangy accompaniment also go well with Petit Chablis. Its strong minerality will enhance sushi or full-bodied, buttery dishes such as pasta alla carbornara or a puff pastry or quiche. For cheese, enjoy Petit Chablis with goat's cheese, gouda or comté. Surprise yourself by serving it with fried eggs!

To note

A UNIQUE TERROIR

Petit Chablis, the most recent of the Chablis Appellations d'Origine Contrôlées

Located in the Yonne department, in northern Burgundy, the Chablis vineyard comprises four Appellations d'Origine Contrôlées: Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis Premier Cru and Chablis Grand Cru. Petit Chablis AOC is the most recent of the four, having only been instituted in 1944. This Village appellation, forming a ring around the other AOCs in the vineyard, can be produced in all the Chablis communes. The vineyards of Petit Chablis vineyards now cover around 1,108 hectares, spread out on either side of the Serein valley.

A rich Chablis terroir

The Chablis appellations are distinguished by precisely delimited production areas and specific production conditions. With regard to the Petit Chablis AOC production area, it includes parcels specifically planted at the top of the hillsides sheltering neighbouring appellations and on the edges of the plateaus. The plots of vines are generally at an altitude of between 230 and 280 metres, and benefit from a variety of exposures. While all the other Chablis appellations are planted on subsoils composed of Kimmeridgian marl, Petit Chablis wines sometimes come from plots planted on Portlandian subsoil. Made up of compact, very stony Tithonian limestone, which is not as old as in other AOCs, the soil has little clay and no fossils. Overlooking the marl, the soil is much warmer. This condition is perfect, as the vines planted on these plateaux are generally little sheltered from the icy winter winds. These parcels produce wines with a fruity character with slight minerality and a strong spirit of freshness.

A mixed oceanic climate

The Petit Chablis terroir has a temperate-oceanic climate with continental trends. The summer off-season is characterised by a dry, sunny September. Nights are cool, with temperatures as low as 5°C, while days are hot, with temperatures reaching 30°C. Episodes of rain can also occur during the ripening period. As in the rest of the Chablis vineyard, the winegrowers of Petit Chablis dread spring frosts, which can lead to major crop losses. Various techniques have been adopted to protect the vines from climatic accidents: frost-proof canvas, candles, heating cables, etc.

Chardonnay, the only grape variety in Petit Chablis

The remarkable reputation of Chablis wines is notably linked to its only grape variety: Chardonnay. Native to Burgundy, this grape variety makes the most flamboyant wines there. In the Chablis vineyard, Chardonnay has found its favourite terroir, where it expresses itself like nowhere else. Blossoming fully on chalky, low-fertility soils, this grape variety is fulfilled in Chablis, particularly on the Petit Chablis terroir.

Tasting Petit Chablis

To the eye, Petit Chablis white wines have a bright, light golden colour. They are dressed in a rye straw colour, sometimes punctuated with green highlights. On the nose, these wines exude aromas of white flowers such as acacia and hawthorn combining with notes of citrus fruits such as grapefruit and lemon, supported by a mineral background. They sometimes develop aromas of white fruit, mainly peach. On the palate, these wines combine lightness and vividness, and offer perfectly balanced acidity. This lively attack is followed by a pleasant roundness as well as a touch of iodine. The full-bodiedness blends harmoniously with the freshness, leaving a lingering sensation on the palate.

Petit Chablis: is it a dry or sweet white wine?

Petit Chablis designates a dry white wine in the still wine category.

When should you drink a Petit Chablis?

Petit Chablis white wine can be drunk in its youth. It quickly reaches the peak of its maturity, ideally being enjoyed after two or three years.

Food and wine pairing: what dishes should you serve with a Petit Chablis dry white wine?

Although it was born far from the sea, the Petit Chablis white wine offers iodised aromas that go perfectly with seafood platters, oysters, fish tartars or grilled shrimp or shrimp in sauce. The white wine from this AOC also pairs naturally with grilled sardines and small fried fish. Its liveliness and freshness counterbalance the slightly heavy roundness of fried eggs and omelettes. The white of Petit Chablis also enhances snails and andouillette.

Its playful character also highlights the softness, unctuousness and fresh taste of fresh goat's cheese. This wine is also a perfect accompaniment to pressed or cooked cheeses such as Gruyère, Comté or Gouda. Thanks to its freshness, Chablis white wine creates an easy pairing with summer salads and cheese gougères.

At what temperature should a Petit Chablis be served?

Petit Chablis white wines are best enjoyed at a temperature of 8°C as an aperitif. As an accompaniment to a dish, the ideal serving temperature is 9 to 10°C.

What's the difference between Chablis and Petit Chablis?

Contrary to what its name might suggest, Petit Chablis is an appellation in its own right, different from Chablis AOC. Both appellations produce dry white wines from Chardonnay, characterised by their pronounced acidity. However, Chablis generally reveals a more mineral flavour than Petit Chablis. The latter develops a sweeter, fruitier taste, with just a hint of minerality. Petit Chablis is also the lightest and liveliest of the wines produced in the Chablis vineyards.

Domaine Louis Moreau, La Closerie des Alisiers... the flagship estates of Petit Chablis AOC

The Chablis vineyards boast a large number of estates, some of which produce excellent Petit Chablis AOC whites. These include the following estates:

Domaine du Chardonnay: masterfully run by Arnaud Nahan and Thomas Labille, Domaine du Chardonnay has a vineyard of around 35 hectares, including an average of just over 10 hectares in the Petit Chablis AOC. The team vinifies and ages only the estate's own harvest. The winemaking process is based on respect for the terroir, the age of the vines, the vintage and the health of the grapes. This estate produces a quality Petit Chablis with lemony notes, lively and fresh.
Domaine Louis Moreau: born of a family passion in Chablis in 1814, Domaine Louis Moreau is the source of exceptional wines of worldwide renown. This wine estate cultivates numerous parcels spread over the four appellation levels of the Chablis region. Its Petit Chablis vineyard covers an area of around 4 hectares, producing a very fresh, aromatic wine with a lively, fruity nose and apple and citrus aromas. Domaine Louis Moreau's Petit Chablis has a lovely attack with a full-bodied, fresh palate.
Stéphane Brocard – La Closerie des Alisiers: through its estate La Closerie des Alisiers and the wines of its partner estates, Maison Stéphane Brocard offers cuvées from all the Burgundy appellations. The range of La Closerie des Alisiers wines includes an excellent Petit Chablis, which has been selected and rated several times in international competitions, by wine critics and by the specialist press. La Closerie des Alisiers' Petit Chablis reveals delicious aromas of white flowers and yellow fruit. Lively, lemony and expressive on the attack, this wine offers a harmonious whole with a fine minerality on the palate.

Domaine des Malandes: this family-run wine estate was founded in 1973 by Lyne Marchive, the daughter of Chablis winegrowers. Now run by her children Richard and Amandine, Domaine des Malandes has around 29 hectares of vines, including just over 4 hectares in the Petit Chablis AOC. The vines dedicated to this appellation are located in the communes of Beignes and Lignorelles. The Domaine des Malandes produces a quality Petit Chablis white wine with fruity aromas marked by notes of white-fleshed fruit, very pure, full of freshness and lightness.
Domaine Guegen: nestling in the heart of the Chablis vineyards, Domaine Guegen was created in 2013. Céline and Frédéric, who both come from wine-growing families, cultivate around 36 hectares of vines, mainly planted with Chardonnay, in the Burgundy and Chablis appellations. The estate's range of wines includes a fruity, mineral Petit Chablis. A real pleasure wine! This cuvée comes from vines planted in the village of Préhy, facing north-west. Integrated farming is used to produce a wine with a fine, very fruity nose, suppleness and freshness on the palate.

La Chablisienne, the leading producer of Chablis wines

As in the other AOCs in the Chablis vineyards, the La Chablisienne wine-growers' cooperative constitutes the principal producer of Petit Chablis wines. Founded in 1923 by a few wine-growers to cope with the economic difficulties of the time, this wine-growers' cooperative brings together around 300 winemakers. Until the mid-1950s, members delivered their production and the winery was responsible for blending and marketing. To shape its style and homogenise production, La Chablisienne subsequently decided to return the harvests in the form of musts. This particular feature became the signature of the winery and allowed for better control of vinification. Today, the La Chablisienne wine-growers' cooperative produces exceptional cuvées with strong personalities across the four levels of Chablis appellations, including the most prestigious Château Grenouilles Chablis Grand Cru.

Where can I find good-value Petit Chablis wines?

If you're looking for a Petit Chablis wine with exceptional value for money, find what you're looking for on Vinatis! You'll discover remarkable cuvées to suit all budgets. Find quality white wines from renowned estates in the Chablis vineyards on our page. And don't miss out on our various special offers for even more bargains!