An Evening of Pure Chablis at NoMi Kitchen

When you are sipping a glass of fresh, mineral driven Chablis, you are appreciating the nuances of Chardonnay in its purest form.  It was my turn to do just that one evening a few weeks ago at the world renown restaurant, NoMi Kitchen in Chicago.   I was one of five food and wine writers invited to dine (in the actual kitchen, no less) with Chablis Ambassador and winery owner Louis Moreau, President of the BIVB Chablis Commission (Bourgogne Wine Board) and “Union des Grands Crus de Chablis” (UGCC).  With a degree in oenology-viticulture and work experience at various California wineries, the incredibly knowledgeable Moreau has been the head of Domaine Louis Moreau since 1994.  Currently, Moreau produces Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru and Chablis Grand Cru while consistently looking for the “best quality and fully respecting the environment.”

Old acquaintances were renewed and new friends were made in the NoMi Lounge while we chatted and learned about the wines of Chablis, often referred to as the “golden gate” to Burgundy and located in north central France on either side of the river Serein. Each of us swirled and sipped our glass of Petit Chablis La Perle 2012 Domaine Millet ($20), a lovely, easy drinking wine (meant to drink young) with gentle aromas of citrus, mouthwatering acidity and notes of lemon and hazelnuts.

Like an oasis amidst the industrial stainless steel in the kitchen at NoMi, our table was beautifully set and ready for the appreciative food and wine lovers to enjoy the experience. All  were mesmerized by the talent of Chef de Cuisine Paul Dobroski as we watched him prepare our four course dinner paired with a plethora of wines from Chablis chosen by Louis Moreau and the restaurant’s sommelier.

A bowl of lusciously tender and juicy Prince Edward Island mussels with ciabatta and eggplant panzanella, bell peppers, pine nuts, and garlic herb butter was our first course paired with Chablis Champs Royaux 2012 William Fevre ($14).  The Chablis, having unveiled its citrus and white fruit aromas, was a delicious complement to the seafood, vegetables, and sauce thanks to its mineral notes and a slight oaky finish.  From thirty five year old vines grown in chalky clay, marl, and marly limestone from the Kimmeridgian era, this Chablis was aged for eight to ten months in stainless steel vats.  10% of the harvest was matured in French oak barrels.

While we enjoyed our mussels, Louis Moreau explained that climat, a traditional Bourgogne word referring to “precisely delimited plots of land that enjoy specific geological and climactic conditions”, is of paramount importance to the region. The conditions as well as the talent of the winemaker result in a patchwork quilt of crus.  In Chablis, forty seven climat named vineyards appear on wine labels: forty for Chablis Premier Cru and seven for Chablis Grand Crus. Each climat has its own rich and unique characteristics depending on the soil and exposure; “landscape and hillscape are utilized to the maximum.”  The soil bed of clay, marl, and limestone from the Kimmeridgian era has a huge impact on the profile of the wines. With a cooler climate than the rest of Burgundy, wines of Chablis are, in general, more dry and fresh and exhibit a zesty minerality and mouthwatering acidity.

Our next course was paired with an elegant wine from Louis Moreau’s family estate, Chablis Premier Cru Vaillons 2012 Domaine Louis Moreau ($35).  Vines planted in 1945 in poor soil of clay and calcerous marls produced grapes with a high concentration of citrus aromas, exuberant minerality, and a richness that I thoroughly enjoyed with the pan seared Ora King Salmon, braised green peas “Francaise”, Nueske’s ham, orange carrot puree, and hazelnut oil.  Unoaked, the wine was aged in stainless steel on fine lees for at least six months then underwent fining, cold filtration, and bottling.  Moreau commented that the racy acidity in this Chablis pairs especially well with the fat content in this dish.

Naturally raised slow cooked chicken breast and crispy thigh with mushroom wild rice and sauce blanc was our savory third course.  A delicious selection, Chablis Premier Cru Vau de Vey 2012 Domaine Laroche ($42), was partially oaked with lively notes of minerality (of course!), lemon, honey, beeswax, and touch of earth.  Oak is occasionally used in Chablis Premier Cru and Grand Cru to “give the wine more focus” according to Moreau and adds complexity and depth without overpowering the palate profile.

Our group ended the evening’s experience with a lovely platter displaying a selection of cheeses including decadent triple crème brie and manchego, sweet fruit compote, and toast points.  Of course more wine was poured…Chablis Premier Cru Montee de Tonnerre 2012 Louis Michel & Fils ($40) and Chablis Grand Cru Valmur 2011 Domaine Christian Moreau Pere et Fils ($65), my favorite of the evening.

Boasting ripe fruit and brilliant minerality, the Montee de Tonnerre 2012 was deliciously comforting with its generous amount of salinity and sweet spice on the finish. The 2011 from Domaine Christian Moreau Pere et Fils consisted of grapes grown on the right bank of the Serein River where all other Grand Crus vines are located.  50% of the grapes were aged in stainless steel and 50% were aged in oak barrels for six to eight months.  Bold and rich with a depth that was mesmerizing, this wine was a brilliant choice.

There is no other wine growing region in France that has “pinned its faith more firmly on the facts of geology”.  The Kimmeridgian limestone laid down 150 million years ago gives the wines of Chablis their signature characteristic of minerality.

In essence, “Chablis is the most mineral pure expression of Chardonnay.”  Pure Chablis 

Cheers~ Cindy

NOTE: I absolutely loved sharing dinner, wines, and knowledge with Louis Moreau and our group at NoMi Kitchen. Yet, there is much more to learn about wines from this unique region in France.  I encourage you to follow the links offered in this post for more information.