As I think of our own white limestone roofs, I am reminded of the spectacular White Cliffs of Dover and this band of Kimmeridgian clay and limestone that runs from England to the vineyards of Chablis in France.

It is said that this influences the chardonnay grapes that surround this ancient town, which has a population of about 2,500 today.

The Romans found vineyards there and the popularity of these wines has had quite a few peaks and valleys. For instance, in 1955 there were 1,200 acres planted and today this area is about 12,750 acres.

It is said the wines of Chablis share with us hints of steel, flint and minerality. Today we will take a journey from chablis, to chablis premier cru, to chablis grand cru.

The 40 vineyards designated “premier cru” add up to about 1,900 acres and the seven grand cru vineyards total 250 acres. All the rest is standard chablis. Slightly simpler petit chablis is a story for another time.

The 2022 Bouchard Aine et Fils Chablis is a fine way to experience chardonnay with absolutely no influence from oak, either from fermentation or ageing. It has a typical light, fresh and fruity nose with mineral aromas, white flowers and hints of fresh peach, dried fruits and hazelnut, the palate is dry with a citrusy freshness to the finish. Vinification takes place in temperature-controlled, stainless-steel tanks and there is no oak ageing. This mouth-watering and minerally chablis is perfect with simply prepared seafood, chicken, and salads. $33.25 (Stock #8237).

Our 2021 Joseph Drouhin Chablis Reserve de Vaudon comes from grapes exclusively harvested on the Drouhin family properties.

These vineyards are mainly situated in the Valley of Vauvillien, not far from the grand crus. In the 1960s, when the chablis vineyards were all but abandoned, Robert Drouhin recognised 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 revitalising the area.

The soils contain millions of tiny marine fossils embedded in a kind of whitish mortar which may have been once the bottom of the sea … hundreds of millions of years ago.

This marine origin gives the wines a very unique flavour. This chablis, which is certified biodynamic, is elegant and brilliant in colour with hints of green. Aromas of citrus, fern and even salty sensations predominate.

It is lively, but in a soft way and there is a lot of finesse and fine balance. $39 (Stock #8161). Half bottles of 2020 are $20.95 (Stock #8162).

The 2020 Remoissenet Père et Fils Chablis is the type of wine that Tolstoy wrote about in Anna Karenina when he declared that the relationship between chablis and oysters was “classic”. Remoissenet Père et Fils was founded in 1877 and their whites are pressed gently in a pneumatic press and fermented on indigenous yeasts. Barrel ageing, depending on vintage and cru, ranges from 30 per cent new to 100 per cent for their grand cru wine. Open a bottle and notice a golden glow in your glass, along with minerals, stone fruit, citrus and even a little butter and vanilla. $42 (Stock #7374).

Our 2021 Bernard Defaix Chablis hails from a fourth generation of vine growers. Bernard Defaix started with just over four acres in 1959 and from this period, a method to protect the vineyards against spring frost was discovered.

Thanks to this, the vine growers could be sure to have a minimum of harvest every year and so they began to develop stable trade markets.

Frost protection has many forms, such as burning smudge pots or even bales of hay, but one of the more environmentally friendly practices is to spray water on the vines. This freezes and protects the buds from frost damage.

Their 2021 chablis reflects these cool, stony soils alongside the sleek depth of the vintage. Filled with crushed rock minerality, mouth-watering, ripe stone fruits and a waft of sea breeze, it’s a pulpy and classically structured wine, with a rocky texture complemented by a racy freshness. $34.95 (Stock #7873).

Vaillons, at 318 acres, is one of the largest premier cru vineyards and it is made up of eight smaller “climates” to the southwest of the town of Chablis. They tend to be more delicate and floral than the others. Each of the eight can be labelled as a premier cru on its own or any combination can just be called Vaillons.

We stock the 2020 Bernard Defaix Chablis Premier Cru Vaillons that is produced from organically grown grapes. It is fresh and floral with excellent structure and concentration. The mouthfeel is refined, harmonious and well balanced and a mineral quality leads to a crisp and long finish that suits many fish dishes or chicken in a cream sauce. $46.95 (Stock #7852).

And now for the “biggie” and this refers to 2020 Remoissenet Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos. A leading light in Beaune for generations, this 150-year-old estate is now more than ever the definitive source for some of the finest wines Burgundy has to offer. Crucially, the team at Remoissenet wears two separate, yet related hats.

The first is as a high-quality, small-batch négociant, maintaining long-term and close relationships with growers up and down the côte. The second is as a vine-growing estate with an expanding stable of Burgundy’s most lauded vineyards, all cared for fastidiously.

This wine is produced from purchased must (juice) from a single parcel in one of Chablis’s most renowned grand cru vineyards that is farmed according to sustainable principles.

The consistent, southwest exposition across the vineyard is particularly sunny, resulting in a ripe, full-bodied wine. Hand-harvested and pressed full-cluster; fermented on indigenous yeasts in 342-litre French oak barrels (40 per cent to 50 per cent new) and aged in the same barrels.

Aromas of lemon zest, poached white fruits and white peach. This great burgundy is full-bodied, textured and mouth-filling. It is an amazing example of what heights chardonnay can reach. $120 (Stock #7513).

This column is an advertorial for Burrows Lightbourn Ltd. Michael Robinson can be contacted at mrobinson@bll.bm. Burrows Lightbourn have stores in Hamilton (Front Street East, 295-1554) and Paget (Harbour Road, 236-0355). A selection of their wines, beers and spirits is available at www.wineonline.bm