La Chablisienne

The Chablis cooperative dates back to 1923 and has to be considered one of the great successes of the wine cooperative movement. Though you may read of growers who have recently taken their vineyards out of the Cooperative so as to set up independently, it still controls perhaps 20% per cent of the region’s production, enough for 2.5 million cases a year. Over 300 growers are part of the Chablisienne, covering 13 of the major premiers cru groupings and five of the seven grands crus as well as Chablis and Petit Chablis. There are also organic bottlings of Petit Chablis and Chablis, branded Dame Nature.

Today La Chablisienne is run by Damien Leclerc with Vincent Bartement as chief oenologist until November 2022. Members of the Cooperative pick their own grapes and press them, supplying the unfermented must to the cooperative. There are five separate Chablis bottlings of which the top two are La Sereine and Les Vénérables, as well as many different 1ers crus. As well as those listed here are holdings of Côte de Jouan, Les Beauregards, Vosgros, Les Fourneaux, Vaucoupin and the entire production of Berdiot which are used for the Chablis 1er Cru Grande Cuvée blend.  Small holdings of four grands crus are dwarfed by the flagship Château Grenouilles, the 7.20ha holding having been purchased by the co-operative, rather than belonging to individual members.

Nowadays the wines from the Cooperative state clearly their origin – whereas previously there were various sousmarques that could look as if they were domaine wines – they are also able to supply ‘own label’ brands to those in need of volume.