The Grand Passion of La Chablisienne

The nine bottles staggered across the table were reflected by the sated UNISG students strewn around the tasting room of La Chablisienne. Yet after an intense hour of comparative tasting, our host Hervé Tucki was just as eager to unveil his coup de grâce: a magnum of Montee de Tonnerre Chablis, 2004.

“Close your eyes”, he murmured, pouring the cool liquid into our much-swirled glasses, “what you see with your palate is more important. Chablis is not a sumo wine, it’s a subtle one.”

 

 

In existence since 1923, La Chablisienne in Burgundy is a cooperative of intimidating proportions. Nearly 300 winemakers strong, it not only represents 25% of the 4700 hectares in production, but produces every one of the twenty Chablis appellations. Founded in response to the economic uncertainty of the era, this cantina sociale relies on a similar structure to Barbaresco. Originally, the winegrowers brought their wines to the cooperative for blending and sales direct to brokers.

 

 

In the 1950s, however, the cooperative decided to personalise their wines and create a distinct identity. In order to do so, involvement spread not just into a new practice of bringing the must and juice to the cooperative, but also into the vineyard. While generally not single-vineyard but single appellation, this control enables the cooperative to adapt the wines from year to year, depending on the quality.

But with a strong respect for organic and biodynamic practices, regular analysis of the soils and wines are undertaken to ensure maximum quality and purity of terroir. Potential new members must approach the cooperative, signing a ten year contract that stipulates all production belongs to the group. If the arrangement is beneficial to all concerned, the contract is renewed.

Vineyards are carefully examined to ensure proper quality is maintained, but members also receive marketing advice, support and a vibrant network of passionate, like-minded producers.  And according to Hervé Tucki, this hands-on approach is one reason for La Chablisienne’s critical success. “More work in the vineyards equals less work in the cellar.”

But the true calling card of La Chablisienne? In a word, minerality. In a wine world whose palate dictates oaky Chardonnays as the key to market share, this cooperative refuses to abandon centuries of tradition. “The purity and dignity of the terroir needs to be preserved”, something that cannot be accomplished with oak aging.

And while this terroir is distinctive in each of the twenty appellations, it’s the unique Kimmeridgian soil of the region that lends this elusive new concept of minerality.  The soil of limestone rock mixed with clay and fossilized oysters, was created 150 million years ago when France was submerged by a tropical sea.

This unique combination of elements creates the aromas and tastes of flint, chalk, pencil shavings and steel to name just a few, which garner the cooperative consistently high ratings and reviews in publications such as Decanter and Wine Enthusiast.

La Chablisienne is not a producer to sit on its laurels; as an entity it continues to forge new paths while still respecting tradition. “We don’t care about being the best producer, but the right one . . . and that’s harder.”

Do I believe the hype? Ask me again in seven years. I have a bottle of 2008 Montee de Tonnerre waiting to be opened on my fortieth birthday…