Petit Chablis: Is this Dry Chardonnay Better than Chablis? (8 Best Wines)

Curious about the delightful Petit Chablis wine?

The Petit Chablis appellation produces a unique dry Chardonnay famed for its green-tinged appearance and zesty flavor profile.

Is Petit Chablis better than big brother, Chablis - another dry Chardonnay?

We’ll answer all your questions about Petit Chablis, including which are the most exceptional bottles to buy, the best food pairings, and what makes the Petit Chablis terroir and winemaking so unique.

What is Petit Chablis?

Dedicated to the production of Chardonnay wine, Petit Chablis is one of the four appellations of the Chablis wine region in Burgundy. 

Petit Chablis was set up as a separate appellation in 1944 and includes vineyard plots that aren’t included under the Chablis, Chablis Premier Cru, and Chablis Grand Cru classifications.

The Chardonnay wines of this appellation are called Petit Chablis since the vine plants are grown on less rich and more recent layers of Kimmeridgian limestone soils.

Is Petit Chablis Better Than Chablis?

There are a few key differences between Petit Chablis white wine and Chablis wine.

While Chablis has greater flavor depth, complexity, and aging potential (5-20 years), Petit Chablis is fresher, lighter, and is meant to be enjoyed young (within two years after release.) 

The Chablis area wines also offer secondary tasting notes of mint, licorice, and sous-bois, whereas the traditional Petit Chablis has a more dominant white flower and citrus fruit flavor. 

8 Exceptional Petit Chablis Wines To Buy Now

Here are our top Petit Chablis picks:

1. 2015 Domaine Francois Raveneau Petit Chablis ($165)

Here we have a great briny Chardonnay with a lemon and stone fruit flavor, a long finish, and good minerality.

2. 2016 Rene et Vincent Dauvissat-Camus Petit Chablis ($78)

This vintage wine presents a broad spectrum of nut and citrus fruit notes balanced by a bouquet of white flower aromas.

3. 2017 Benjamin Laroche 'La Manufacture' Petit Chablis ($40)

Here’s a savory Petit Chablis from Burgundy that presents an apple, lemon, and mineral flavor with a butter and white blossom nose. It boasts a balanced acidity, great freshness, and long finish.

4. 2019 Domaine Gerard Duplessis Petit Chablis ($39)

This French wine has a mesmerizing chalk and lime aromas offset by grapefruit, orange, and pear notes.

5. 2017 Domaine Daniel Dampt et Fils Petit Chablis ($32)

Here’s a crisp, tangy French wine that offers a mineral palate of honey, fig, and lemon flavors with white flower aromas.

6. 2018 Domaine Billaud-Simon Petit Chablis ($29)

This is a remarkable dry white wine with a nose of herb, fennel, and lime balanced by green apple, white peach, and nectarine notes.

7. 2018 Domaine Lavantureux Petit Chablis ($29)

Here we have a savory vintage wine with delicate oyster shell and fresh fruit aromas. The palate reveals vanilla, lemon curd, and yellow apple notes.

8. 2018 Julien Brocard Petit Chablis Les Plantes ($28)

This is a straw-colored Burgundy wine with green highlights, gooseberry, smoke, and mineral aromas offset by the freshness of yellow kiwi, mango, and lime flavors.

Best Food Pairings with Petit Chablis Wine

Petit Chablis is a beautiful complement to seafood dishes like shellfish and oysters. The wine’s dry, savory notes also work well with: 

• Crabs
• Prawns
• Mussels
• Sausages
• Vegetable terrines
• Salads 
• Creamy desserts

Petit Chablis Terroir

The Petit Chablis appellation is situated on both sides of the Serein River and is planted exclusively with the Chardonnay grape variety.

The 729-hectare Petit Chablis vineyard lands lie on a 280-meter high plateau of Portlandian soils with hard limestone and sandy silt deposits. The specific soil composition of this terroir dates back to the Tithonian Age (145-152 million years ago.)

The Petit Chablis region has continental climate with cold winters, spring frosts, and hot summers.

Petit Chablis Winemaking

Besides the unique terroir, the Petit Chablis wine is also influenced by the time of grape harvest, the vinification techniques, and the aging period. 

After harvest, the grapes are pressed. The juice and must are then transferred to stainless steel or oak barrels for fermentation.

Alcoholic fermentation at low temperature is followed by malolactic fermentation. This secondary fermentation lowers the wine’s acidity and stabilizes it.

The winemaker ages the fermented wine over its fine lees in vats or barrels for 12 months and can be bottle-aged for an additional two years.

Petit Chablis Wine: The Refreshing Chablis Chardonnay

With its unique terroir-driven flavors, the Petit Chablis wine is a treat for white wine lovers. Stock a bottle or two of this fascinating wine to mesmerize guests at your next dinner party!

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