CHABLIS > BOUCHARD Ainé & Fils

CHABLIS 2021

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2022 2023 2024

Varietal

100% Chardonnay.

Tasting notes

Color: Golden yellow.
Nose: Intense bouquet of mandarins and pineapple softly emphasized by notes of fresh almonds
Mouth: Fresh and generous, with just the right touch of minerality and a long-lasting and saline finale.

Food and wine pairing

Ideal with white meat dishes, chicken in a cream sauce, shellfish and crayfish.

Serving suggestions

Serve ideally between 12° and 14°C / 54 - 57°F.

Ageing potential

This wine will keep for at least 2 to 5 years in the cellar in good conditions.

Origins

An appellation which takes its name from the village of Chablis and is grown in the delimited areas of 17 villages. The appellation covers 3,712 hectares, making it the most extensive "Village" appellation in Burgundy.

It is characterized by producing exclusively white Chardonnay wines and by its geology which is believed to date back to the Kimmeridgian period.

The Chablis vineyards are planted on various hills in the valley of Serein, the peaceful river that crosses the region.

- Limestone soil and subsoil dating back to the Kimmeridgian.
- Slightly pronounced incline.
- South-west exposure.
- Altitude of 180 m to 260 m above sea level.

Vinification and maturing

Once arrived at the winery, grapes and must went through a long pneumatic pressing, followed by a settling of the juice and the alcoholic fermentation with selected yeasts in stainless steel tanks under controlled temperatures (18 to 20°C / 64-68°F.) to preserve a maximum of fruit. The malolactic fermentation began rapidly after the alcoholic fermentation and was complete in January. The wine was then aged on the lees for 5 to 7 months.

Vintage : 2021

The 2021 vintage was a challenge for winegrowers right up until the very last day. From the frost in April, made worse by a very early start to the winegrowing season, right through to the September harvest, it was characterized by some brutal shifts in the weather. Winegrowers had to be extremely reactive and attentive. The only moment of respite came with flowering, which was ideal for fruit formation, and véraison, which was accompanied by sunshine from mid-August. In the end, hard work was rewarded with success, low volumes aside.

Aside from the low yields due to frost, and hail in June in certain parts of the Mâconnais, the grapes were sorted meticulously, both in the vines and in the winery.

Anyway, 2021 is an interesting vintage to work as it requires great technical skill and vinification must be very precise. Although fermentation was rapid, one had to pay a great deal of attention to the extraction of tannins and colour for the reds, and to the aromatic balance of the whites. The impression from the first tastings is that the musts have good aromatic potential and the sugar-acidity ratio suggests a style appreciated by fans of Bourgogne wines.