Chablis is a small town in the northwest corner of Burgundy, France. It is also an appellation. The appellation produces of some of the most delicious, mouth-watering, Chardonnay in the world. The town itself is surrounded by all of the seven grands crus in the appellation, and these were what I had come to see, and taste, of course.
The Sept (Seven) Grands Crus trail delivered on its promise: I went through or along, or within sight of all seven. Less a hike, and more of a stroll, even the most hedonistic wine-taster, or gourmand who has spent decades indulging exclusively in the rich, buttery cuisine of this area, could complete this short trail. While not for everyone, (most people would be content simply to taste the wines on offer from multiple winemakers within the town), this trail will certainly interest Chablis wine-enthusiasts who have come to appreciate the land, the terroir, from which this nectar derives. I found it fascinating to see the lay of the land, the expositions, and the world-famous stone.
What I Learned
The Chablis wine sub-region is in Burgundy, a land of incredible wines. Further north and west than the rest of Burgundy, it is a cooler, wind-swept area, once covered for millennia by a vast sea. The local soil, soil known as Kimmeridgian, is a combination of clay and limestone. The limestone’s most notable aspect is the presence of fossilized seashells within it. As a result, the stones here have a unique note of salty chalk, giving the wine a crisp, clean, fresh mineral flavor notes not often found in Chardonnay from elsewhere.
Trail Name: Chablis – Les Sept Grands Crus/ Chablis – Les 7 Grands Crus (See comments below.)
Trail Type: Short distance circuit; trail surfaces mostly well-maintained and almost exclusively paved or hard-packed; marking on the trail was difficult to discern. (See comments below.)
Length:
Total – 6.1 kilometers/ 3.8 miles
Convenient to: Auxerre, France
Marking: Unknown (See comments below.)
Continue reading Chablis – 7 Grands Crus: Trail in a Nutshell
