Chablis

It's odd. For years, I've had an appreciation for white wines from Burgundy, often a Pouilly-Fuisse or Macon, but at times a Meursault or Chassagne-Montrachet. But until tonight, I had never had a Chablis.

The wine of choice was limited by price, so at $20, I got a standard Chablis from Domaine L. Chatelain. Not a Grande or Premier Cru, but just the basic level Chablis, with no vineyard indication.

While I had not tasted a Chablis, I know the classic descriptions. And to a large extent, this fits; nice green apple and mineral on the nose as well as the palate, and a slight bit of lime on the finish. Quite crisp, as a result of a balanced acidity and nice bit of mineral.

But I was a little disappointed that, while it tastes nice, this wine lacks much complexity. While I realize that $20 is the low end for a Chablis, I still expect a little more going on in a wine that sells at that price point. Still, with a meal of fish, or something with a cream sauce, this wine could make a good pairing. But by itself, it's rather plain and lacking.

I can't yet say for sure how typical of a Chablis this is, since I haven't tasted others. It's quite possible (in fact, probable) that I simply don't care so much for the style of wine that is made in Chablis; crisp and bracing as opposed to rich and lush like is found further south.

Since this is a new style of wine for me, I'm not going to make a recommendation or non-recommendation on it. If you like a crisp style of wine, I'd love to hear your opinion on this one. But I probably won't be buying another bottle for myself.