Post Road Liquors is always teaching us a thing or two about wine. This week, we dive into a bottle of Sebastien Dampt Chablis to figure out the difference between Chardonnay and Chablis!

***Don’t forget, head into any of the four wine and liquor store outposts and receive 20% off the weekly wine picks!***

2015 Sebastien Dampt Chablis

COST – $19.99

GRAPE – Chardonnay

COUNTRY – Burgundy, France

REGION – Chablis

TASTING NOTES – There is an abundance of classic Chablis character to the floral, citrus and petrol-suffused nose. There is fine mid-palate density on the medium weight flavors that are at once opulent and energetic, all wrapped in a clean, dry, long and citrusy finish. This is an excellent example of the genre and also worth checking out.

TALES FROM A TASTING

Okay, so first off, just in case you didn’t know, Chablis is not a grape varietal. Chablis wine is named Chablis after the region in which it is grown. (Not really a new thing in France.) What is interesting is that Chablis is made from 100% Chardonnay grapes. So, why not just call it Chardonnay? After all, places like California and South Africa grow Chardonnay grape, and they still get that little Chardonnay name tag on their corner pocket. So, what’s the big whoop with Chablis?

Chablis is special because it is a small region within that wonderful French wine mecca called Burgandy. And, the climate and soil play a big role in changing the traditional Chardonnay grapes into the crisp green apple/stone taste that ends up in the glass.  

Chablis is in the northern portion of Burgundy, with a cooler climate influenced more by the Atlantic than that warm Mediterranean air. It’s also a little drier. This means that grapes can’t ripen as long, and what they lose in sugar gets made up in acidity. It’s also not oaked, retaining the original flavor.

The soil is also special in Chablis. Chardonnay vines in Chablis anchor into two types of soils – a clay-laden soil, which helps to retain moisture and feed those little grapes, and one that is chock full of fossils including an ancient oyster. So, here’s a hint, if you’re looking for a pairing with a nice Chablis, like the Sebastien Dampt Chablis, then head to your local fish market and grab some fresh oysters. 😉

Because I visited both Post Road Liquors and Wasik’s Cheese Shop, I also got the skinny on the wine/cheese pairing. I enjoyed the Sebastien Dampt Chablis with a raw cow’s milk called Ashbrook, modeled after Mortimer. The slightly pungent yet creamy cheese went along singingly with the acidity of the pale yellow Sebastien Dampt Chablis.

 So, what did I think of this Chablis? LOVED IT! No, seriously, I adore this wine, and it is 100% on my shopping list the next time I head to Post Road Liquors. Be sure to put it on yours too. 🙂

MENTION THE HAUTE LIFE AT ANY ONE OF THE FOUR STORES AND RECEIVE 20% OFF ANY OF THE WEEKLY WINE PICKS!!!!

Thank you to Post Road Liquors, 44 Boston Post Road Wayland, MA, for recommending this Chablis, as well as their expertise!

Stop in to experience the first class service and selection. You can also find the same excellent services at their other locations, as follows:

Upper Falls Liquors
150 Needham Street
Newton, MA 02462
(617) 969-9200

 Needham Wine & Spirits
1257 Highland Avenue
Needham, MA 02492
(781) 449-1171

Auburndale Wine & Spirit
2102 Commonwealth Avenue
Newton, MA 02466
(617) 244-2772

Don’t take yourself too seriously!