After spending an entire day Saturday watching a group of young wine enthusiasts study and train for their Master Sommeliers (if you haven’t seen “Uncorked” on Esquire, its addicting), I was inspired to expand my knowledge of white wine, specifically, Chablis. Chablis is a Chardonnay grape grown in Chablis region in France. I know, you hear Chardonnay in the U.S., and you immediately think “buttery” or “oak”. Chardonnay gets a bad rap (sort of like Merlot after the movie Sideways). There is a shift in the industry to bring a Chardonnay back to a more “natural” state.
I like a crisp Chardonnay fermented in stainless, no oak, more fruit. I chose a Jean Marc Brocard Chablis – Premier Cru. Since I know so little about Chablis, I went with Wine Spectator rating of 91 pts and a moderate price point of $40. It was dry and prominent in apple, a safe pick.
As I get into the heat of the summer, I am looking forward to finding additional Chablis to keep cool
Pairing: I paired this with a Gruyere and a Gouda…two of my favorites!
