The wine growing region of Chablis is about two hours’ drive north of Beaune. Its terroir is quite different from the rest of Burgundy to the south.

At the end of October 2010 the weather there was a few degrees cooler than "the Cote", the vine leaves had turned brown and some vineyards were already bare of foliage. The cool climate of Chablis combined with the limestone / clay soil give Chardonnay a unique expression.

  Last week our ABC Wine Team visited and tasted the wines from the single largest estate in Burgundy, Chateau de Maligny. Jean-Paul Durup, owner of the estate, took us to the vineyards before tasting through the impressive portfolio of wines back in the Chateau.

All the wines were unique, expressing the climate differences of the vintage and the respective terroir. All wines are stainless-steel fermented and aged.

  The 2009 Village Chablis impressed us with its purity, power and concentration of ripe citrus fruit. The 2006 1-er Cru Fourchaumes met the expectations for a First Growth with layers of complexity, depth of fruit, "smoky" minerals and a lengthy finish. These two and all the other three dozen wines we tasted showed Chablis at its best.

The wines from Chateau de Maligny are a must-try for anyone who enjoys quality Chardonnay. Pair them with any type of seafood dishes, grilled fish or my personal favorite: oysters!!

--Atanas Nechkov, Wine Supervisor, Central Florida