Although Chablis bears the traces of a village dating from Neolithic times, its true origins date back to Roman times. The name comes from the Latin word “caplum,” meaning “ford.” The vines were pulled up under Emperor Domitian (81-96), but saw real growth in the third century after being revived by Emperor Probus.
The River Serein plays an important role in regulating the climate in the vines, and was also a useful commercial route allowing wines from Chablis to be shipped to Auxerre and Paris, and from there to other countries, in particular Flanders and
But it was the Cistercians who were behind the rise of Vinegrowing, thanks to the nearby Abbey of Pontigny. The phylloxera epidemic destroyed the vines at the end of the 19th century and they were replanted with Chardonnay. During the 1970s, mixed farming gave way to vines, which took off spectacularly. Moreover, winegrowers began adopting more efficient protection of the vines against the spring frosts through measures such as vine heaters, candles and spraying.
The appellation covers
- Petit Chablis
- Chablis
- Chablis Premier Cru
- Chablis Grand Cru
The commune-level Chablis appellation covers
The latest list of premier crus dates to 1986.
79 lieux-dits are classed as producing premier crus, with a total surface area of
Seven grand crus
Since 1938,