To say that 'Chablis has fallen on hard times' is an understatement. In this article, we'll detail what's happening in Chablis in 2024, and more importantly, we'll thoroughly cover the 2022 and 2023 vintages. What are their differences, and what should you look out for?
In June 2024, many winegrowers were already on edge after weeks of tragicomic bad weather, and producers were scrambling to save their wines. Every minute of dry weather had to be used to spray and protect the vines. Ironically, the warm conditions created the perfect environment for the fungal spores that had accumulated over the previous weeks to multiply.
On the bright side, the Chablis cellars are full of barrels from the healthy harvests of the previous two vintages, so, at least for now, there is enough Chablis wine for everyone. Producers can plan ahead and hold back the 2023 stocks to supplement the expected smaller harvest in 2024. So what do the 2022 and 2023 vintages of Chablis offer?
Chablis 2022-2023
In the wine community, many people prefer the 2022 Chablis, a sentiment shared by several winemakers. This preference could be tied to the unique qualities of the vintage, despite the high yields seen in 2023, which resulted from uniform flowering and a favorable season. According to the BIVB, production in 2023 was 9% higher than in 2022 and 29% above the five-year average, although this data is somewhat influenced by the low yields of 2021. However, mitigating factors led to a harvest that could be described as 'normal.'
One key factor regarding the 2023 wines is that they lack the acidity, tension, and electric charge that underpin great Chablis. Louis Gimmonet of Long-Depaquit says, 'In 2023, we had heavy rains, and so there was more potassium in the soil, which the vines absorbed. That was the main problem.' The pH is predicted to be comparatively higher in 2024 than in previous years. The second distinguishing factor between the two vintages is the difference in rainfall throughout the year. Consider the July and August rainfall figures: 14 mm and 21 mm in 2022, then 72 mm and 95 mm in 2023. Some argue that the August rain stopped just in time and prevented a potential disaster.
Benoit Droin has accurately observed that the 2023 vintage is less 'classic' than 2022. This doesn't mean the wines are of poor quality or unworthy of attention, though there is generally a slight drop in scores. However, they don’t reach the same heights as the previous vintage, and as you move down the hierarchy, the wines become inconsistent; at worst, the more banal wines are better left ignored.
The 2022 Chablis is a 'modern classic' that signals a new normal. Instead of the steely, appley Chablis last seen in 2017 and occasionally in 2021, the wines of 2022 have a more rounded texture and hint at tropical nuances, particularly in south-facing areas such as Les Preuses, Bougros, Les Clos, Mont de Milieu, and the lower regions of Les Vaillons, where higher temperatures accentuate these flavors. That said, the 2022 vintage retains its tension and energy. After all, what is Chablis without those qualities but a mere 'ordinary Chardonnay'? Stylistically, one could argue that these wines are closer to those found in the Côte d'Or, sacrificing typicality to achieve balance in a season that could have easily resulted in flabby, one-dimensional wines.