Chablis Bougros
Grand CruChardonnay.
Site: on the right bank of the Serein River, which flows through Chablis and its region. Located in the north west corner of the Grand Cru slope. It has a remarkable south east exposure and the steepest slope of all the Grand Crus.
History & tradition: in the sixties, when the Chablis vineyards were all but abandoned, Robert Drouhin recognized the potential of this region which had been ravaged by the phylloxera disease a century before. He was one of the first Burgundy propriétaires who set about revitalizing the area.
Soil: the Kimmeridgian limestone contains millions of tiny marine fossils embedded in a kind of whitish mortar which may have been once the bottom of the sea...hundreds of million years ago. This marine origin gives the wines of Chablis their unique flavour.
Surface of the Domaine: 0.4 ha (0.998 acre).
Average age of the vines: 27 years.
Biological cultivation since 1990 and biodynamic cultivation since 1999.
Soil Maintenance: age-old methods. Plowing: buttage (hilling up around the vine-stocks) in autumn; débuttage (plowing back in spring); work between the rows and the vine stocks done with manual tools only.
Treatment: only authorized products for biological cultivation are used - infusions and macerations of plant materials, sulfur and copper, powdered rock. Natural predators are not eliminated.
Plantation density: 8,000 to 10,000 stocks/ha.
Pruning: double Guyot "Vallée de la Marne" (for its resistance to frost).
Yield: we aim for a lower yield, such as it existed before the new law. This yield is therefore the present maximum yield minus 20%.
Average yield at the Domaine: 47.3hl/ha (the yield currently authorized for the appellation is now 54hl/ha).
Harvesting: by hand.
Pressing: very slow so as to respect the fruit. Juices from the last pressings are not retained.
Type: in oak barrel (0% new wood).
Length: 12 months.
Origin of the wood: French oak forests.
Weathering of the wood: Joseph Drouhin insists on total control of the weathering for a period of 3 years, one of the contributing elements to the elegance of the wine.
Throughout the ageing process, decisions are taken only after careful tasting evaluation. The data obtained is completed through technical analysis. As with every other Joseph Drouhin wine, absolute priority is given to the true expression of terroir and character of the vintage.
"A delicate and ample wine, easy to appreciate. The pale yellow color is very pure, with light green reflections. On the nose, floral aromas of acacia harmonize with vegetal notes of fern and coriander. he aromas on the nose are amplified when the wine is in the mouth, together with new notes of orange or lemon marmalade. It has a soft, round, well balanced body. The aromas of fruit are enhanced by intense mineral notes evolving towards a slightly smoky flavour. Beautiful length on the aftertaste".
The Chablis wines display a beautiful pale golden colour. The nose is fresh, vivid and mineral with hints of lime, mint and acacia. Elegant wines, typical of their terroirs.
Temperature: 14°C (55°F).
Cellaring: 5 to 15 years.