Interesting you note that Sancerre sales are up – my local grocer now carriers 5-6 real AOC Sancerre at varying pricepoints, along with a couple other Loire S-B’s placed near them. Years ago, they would have maybe one.
If you want to delve in deep on soil maps, this was a pretty good article, the image above is from that article, and discusses the varied soil types. It does look at more than just Chablis, but gives you a good idea of what is planted where, and you can surmize from knowledge of what is “good” and see if that correlates to the soils as structured. - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/248606244_Geology_and_wine_A_review
Yes, there are Lieux-dit in the rest of Chablis. You’d be hard pressed to find many times they are actually used - most folks go for fanciful names. That’s my knowledge of it - but I’m sure there are people out there with letters after their name who know more on this topic. If the winemakers are separating out individual lieux-dit and sections of the Chablis appelation, it would be cool to taste them separately. I would guess due to tank space, this likely isn’t happening all that often, unless there are large tracts. From a winemaker’s perspective, I would assume it’s often a logistics issue. It’s not worth the time or effort, or may be logistically impossible to keep separate for something that doesn’t necessarily see a return on investment.
Thank you for getting me to think critically about Chablis, Dan.
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Some of those Sancerre’s are now cheaper than CA Sauv Blanc.
Not sure I get the legend on the figure b, which seems to show grandcrus as premier crus, premier crus as “built land”, etc. ?
FIFY 
Many thanks to Trevor C. Yes, there are some glitches on those maps, but in general they give an excellent picture of the geography.
to Kris Patten: I can buy California Sauv Blanc for under $10… some of them approaching drinkable status. Please let me know where I can get a $10 Sancerre (outside of Sancerre) .
I would think that some enterprising growers of AOP Chablis should start making wine from and using Lieux Dit on their labels. I could be in Chablis late fall, might launch a discussion.
Dan Kravitz
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If “approaching drinkable status” is your bar then we need an intervention.
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David, I agree that we need an intervention, but it needs to be with airport and chain hotel bars and restaurants.
Dan Kravitz
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I think you are clever enough to know I am not referencing SB in those price points.
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Hi Kris,
I can buy Dry Creek Sauvignon Blanc for about $15. IMO that’s very good wine. Obviously not the same terroir or style as Sancerre.
Dan Kravitz
What happened to $10?
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Haven’t you heard of inflation?
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50% in 4 hours?
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With the greatest of respect, I’m not sure that saying one can buy X from region A for less than region B is very enlightening. It’s way too broad. Probably true for all X, A & B.. Some specificity is helpful, eg the Dry Creek example.
I’m not at all familiar with Cal SB so examples would be especially helpful for me. I do have fuzzy recollections of a tasting. in London in the seventies at IWFS of Cal SB that made quite an impression (on everyone not just me).
Sorry , I couldn’t find the tongue in cheek emoji.
And California is not 1930s Weimar.
Probably enough thread drift - sorry!
I should hope not!
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$10 = approaching drinkable
$15 = better than drinkable (much, much better)
Meanwhile, back at the thread, where’s my $15 Chablis? Perhaps a Petit problem?
Dan Kravitz
You won’t find those prices on Sancerre anymore, but you can find it on Loire SB for sure. There are some drinkable regional SBs that can be found for about $10. They’re uninspiring, but refreshing. For about $15 I’ve found wines from Pouilly, Couteaux de Gienoux (sp?), and similar satellite regions which are quite decent. Not often inspiring, but decent and I’d likely prefer them to anything from CA for the price, simply because I prefer the crisp expression to the fatter CA expression or the gooseberry NZ expression.
I don’t expect to find sub-$20 Chablis anymore, at least not any I’d want to drink. Used to be that Gilbert Picq and Chablisienne could be found in that general pricepoint but no longer.
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Drinkable and uninspiring still sounds like intervention territory.
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[sigh]
There are so many fascinating tasting comparisons I’d like to do, but finding
- time
- venue
- interested people
makes it hard.
I mentioned above the six Chablis terroirs of Patrick Piuze, all available in NY, all at pricing that’s reasonable by board standards. I’d love to do a comparative tasting, as mentioned in an earlier post. No replies.
I’d love to do a comparative tasting of Loire SBs and CA SBs in any price range. I’ve been a fan of Dry Creek SBs since long before forever, which is obviously at the low end. I can do this anywhere from BOS-WASH, in general board members tend to come out for more high-roller tastings, but happy to discuss.
Dan Kravitz