The wines of Chablis are renowned far beyond french borders. The downside: The very name Chablis is spoofed on five continents, often to describe wines of low quality. Close to the vineyards of Champagne, Chablis appellation covers the eponymous village and the 19 municipalities and hamlets that surround it. Made of Chardonnay grown on Kimmeridgian limestone hillsides, the wines owe their character to the nature of the climate, cool and mainly continental - cold winters, warm summers. There are four appellations, Chablis Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis Premier Cru and at the top, Chablis Grand Cru. In total, the vineyards of Chablis cover 4845 hectares, what means 17.5% of the total area of the Burgundian vineyard. Produced on 103 hectares, Chablis Grand Cru comes from the best exposed slopes of the right bank (divided into seven localities: Blanchot, Bougros, Le Clos, Les Grenouilles, Les Preuses, and Valmur Vaudésir). The wines produced there show a higher quality than the other wines of Chablis. Rich, high aromatic persistence (aromas of flowers and citrus fruits in particular), they are characterized by a sharp character, due to the clay and stone, which distinguishes them from their rivals in the South. They also offer a mineral taste rarely equaled, thanks to the finesse expressed by Chardonnay on clay and limestone of Kimmeridgian. This is a fairly brittle limestone composed of oyster shells and fossils. Moreover, their aging potential is impressive: they can be enjoyed up to 20, 30 years old or more. The climate of "Le Clos" produces generous wines, dry, opulent, full bodied and with a long finish, which require a particularly long cellaring. "Valmur" is distinguished by a gorgeous mineral perfume associated with subtle herbal notes. "LesPreuses" is originally highly distinctive, rich, fat, powerful and far less austere than other climates.