The classic joke in wine circles is where customers reveal that “they don’t like Chardonnay but they love a Chablis!” This famed style of Chardonnay is a perfect juxtaposition of elegance and force of Chardonnay, with refreshing acidity, minerality, citrus and green fruit, and heady perfumes of wild white flowers.
Charly Nicolle and his wife Lucie represent the seventh generation of the family to make wine at the Domaine, just 4km to the east of the town of Chablis itself. They currently manage 26 hectares of Chardonnay vines across a range of Chablis’ famous clay and limestone soils, overlooking the serene Serein River valley.
Started from just one hectare of vines by Charly’s dad, Robert, in 1979, the estate is now arguably one of the finest producers in Chablis.
Charly joined in 1999 and now is heading the property, with the support of Robert in the vineyards.
“I am a part of this Chablis countryside which was risen from the ancient earth folds where the ocean hid shell and fossil treasures! Every Spring, I am excited to discover what is under my plough. It’s my countryside, a land where my children grow up, a land that gives me faith for the future.”
The unique composition of the soil, packed with ancient ocean shells and fossils, plays an important role in the style of Chablis – an elegant white wine with racy acidity and vibrant mineral structure. To allow the unique terroir to shine through, Charly Nicolle practices organic viticulture, only interceding when pests and diseases are threatening the crop beyond those methods.
“I take care of my vines like my children every day. They will eventually bloom with fruits, that make my Chablis to perfect maturity.”
In the winery, all vinification is done in contact with the lees for a rich and mouth-coating style. The estate uses stainless-steel tanks in order to preserve the freshness and vibrancy, allowing the wine to reflect its unique terroir. This is especially important for the Premier Cru vineyards of Mont de Milieu and Les Fourneaux, and the acclaimed Grand Cru area of Bougros.
Until today, all works are still done by the family in their home town, Fleys.
“180 of us live tightly knit around our church steeple,” enthuses Nicolle.
Charly Nicolle’s Chablis is far more than a Chardonnay-based wine from the esteemed French region; it is a testament to the rich family history and passion of the terroir.
