Chablis 2019: Full vintage report and top-scoring wines

Quick links

Individual appellation analysis and top-scoring wines coming soon:

Grand Cru Chablis , Premier Cru Chablis, AOP Chablis, Petit Chablis, Top value Chablis 2019

Summing up 2019, Louis Moreau, president of the Chablis Commission of the Burgundy wine board (BIVB), said ‘we have been able to produce a top-quality vintage’.

After recently tasting 250 samples in London, my take is that 2019 is a fine year for Chablis, and that lovers of the wines emanating from this cool northern outpost of Burgundy, should buy with confidence. 

Scroll down for Andy Howard’s top-scoring Chablis 2019 wines

In broad terms, it can be viewed as a ‘half-way house’ between the higher acidity levels seen in 2017, and the ripe, rounded, less acidic 2018s.

But this is an over-simplification – 2019 Chablis is a very complex year as a result of varied climatic factors affecting this marginal wine producing region.

History

Chablis has endured some challenging times throughout the past decade.

2016 was devastated by frost and hail, with frost also seriously impacting volumes in 2017. Conversely, 2011 was a year to forget with high volumes and disappointing quality.

2010 and 2014 were great years, with the latter appealing more to Chablis ‘classicists’, and this is the year most revered by producers, despite many wines remaining linear and tight.

It seems that climactic disruptions are now becoming the new norm but Chablis producers are very resourceful and are learning how to cope with hotter, drier years.

2019 is a much more typical Chablis year than the warm vintages of 2006, 2009, 2015 and 2018.

See all Chablis 2019 tasting notes and scores

Weather and growing conditions

2019 began with a cold, wet January and February, and cool March. Budburst started early April and frost was a threat during the month – Guillaume Michel observing that vineyard ‘candles’ needed to be lit several times.

June was cool, with an extended period of flowering and this is where the key characters for 2019 were set. Sébastien Dampt, from Domaine Sébastien Dampt, noted ‘the flowering was not easy, with a lot of millerandage’. According to Matthieu Mangenot, from Domaine Long-Depaquit, ‘rain, winds and cool temperatures caused millerandage, leading to yield losses between 25-40%’.

With lower yields already looming, these were exacerbated by a hot summer that included two heat-waves and extreme dryness with rainfall down around 70%.

Where this might have ruined other vintages, these factors all worked together in Chablis 2019 to deliver small, extremely healthy, grapes allowing a significant reduction in the use of treatments.

Evaporation added to the yield loss but with the upside of concentrated berries, higher sugar and acidity levels, with more prominent aromatics. The harvest commenced around the normal time – 9th September at Long-Depaquit, 11th for Dampt, and 14th at Louis Michel.

Quality versus volume

Whilst quality is high, volumes in 2019 were lower than average, largely due to the combined effects of cool-weather during flowering, summer heat-waves and low rainfall.

Total production in 2019 amounted to just over 400,000 bottles across all appellation levels, a decrease of 9% from 2018.

However, compared to the frost and hail-devastated 2016, the overall situation is encouraging, with production 50% higher in the key Chablis AOP.

In addition, cellars had been replenished after the super-abundant crop in 2018, so lower volumes in 2019 are unlikely to seriously impact stock levels.

There should be plenty of Chablis 2019 to buy.

Value

Value-wise, Chablis at all levels remains a great buy. Prices for Burgundy continue to increase, with Grand and Premier Cru wines reaching eye-watering levels.

For a similar price to Premier Cru Puligny and Meursault, consumers can choose from a wide selection of the best Grand Cru Chablis. Premier Cru Chablis over-delivers compared to village wines from the Côte de Beaune, whilst straight Chablis and Petit Chablis also offer great value and early drinking pleasure.

In 2019, the quality tiers showed through very clearly and although this is a consistently strong vintage across the region, it’s worth trading up to appreciate the terroir influence that Chablis offers.

All the producers I spoke to believe 2019 is, at the very least, a very fine vintage. Guillaume Michel, from Domaine Louis Michel, says ‘2019 has all the hallmarks of a great year’ – a view supported by Jean-François Bordet at Domaine Seguinot-Bordet.

Chablis – Decanter vintage ratings

2019 ****

2018 ***

2017 ****

2016 **

2015 ***

2014 *****

2013 **

2012 ****

At Domaine Fèvre and Jean-Paul et Benoit Droîn, 2019 is regarded as a very promising year, although heavily influenced by difficult periods during the growing season.

Benoit Droîn believes ‘2019 is a classic vintage despite the adverse effects of the sun’, adding that it is a ‘homogenous year across different sites where low yields have resulted in good acidity and great concentration’.

Didier Seguier, from Fèvre, sees it as a vintage ‘marked by a lack of rainfall and the heat’. Anne Moreau, from Domaine Louis Moreau, says ‘2019 is quite classic for Chablis, closer to 2017 than 2018. It has unmistakeable Chablis acidity’.

Barrel maturation

Mention should also be made of wood. Where used, it seems to add to the whole in 2019. The vintage’s concentration and acidity appear to suit maturation in wood, and partial barrel-fermentation, adding extra layers of flavour and structure. I also tasted a village Chablis aged in amphora – an interesting, experimental approach but one which needs more work for me.

When to drink?

In terms of drinking windows, 2019 Chablis will be approachable when young, but has the concentration and acidity to age well, particularly at Premier and Grand Cru level.

Of recent vintages, 2016 should generally be drunk now and 2018, with its ripeness and lower acidity, can also be enjoyed earlier. I would advise keeping your finer 2017s for some time – these have the acidity but not always the fleshiness of 2019. The best 2019s will age a very long time.

Overall

Guillaume Michel says ‘2019 is a great vintage which emphasises the terroir rather than hides it’. Matthieu Mangenot believes ‘Chablis 2019 gave birth to perfectly balanced wines which show great aromatic purity, richness and lots of freshness’.

I agree with their conclusions – this is a vintage which will be very appealing early on, is available in good volume and should be affordable. The wines can be strongly recommended.

The list of top scoring wines is testament to this vintage’s overarching quality.

See Andy Howard’s Top-scoring Chablis 2019 wines

All wines scored 94 points or above.

Read next

Chablis 2019: Top Scoring Grand Cru winesA Decanter guide to Chablis Premier CruMâconnais magic: Tasting Domaine Thibert’s Vignes Blanches 2010-2017