Weekday Wine - Orion Petit Chablis

Chablis is a place in north-eastern France, and wines made there are then named for this place, Chablis. Those boxes of wine of the same name are not the same wine, not of the same place and not of the same grape, Chardonnay. That adds an additional layer of confusion to the conversation, as the Chardonnay from Chablis doesn’t taste as most think Chardonnay should, or normally does, taste. The Chardonnay grapes grown in Chablis are picked early and are fermented largely in stainless steel, so rather than the tropical and oaky flavors of the Californian chardonnay, Chablis is focused, apple-y, and tautly acidic. 

Petit Chablis refers to a number of dispersed geographic areas that roughly encircle Chablis proper. Often thought of as a ‘lesser’ appellation (perhaps due to the ‘Petit’ descriptor), it nonetheless produces fine wines similar in tradition and style to those of Chablis and made entirely of Chardonnay as well. Domaine Orion is a new to the market, brought to life by the third generation of family grape growers, Lea Schaller, who has become her family’s first generation of winemakers. This wine is classic; all green apple and electric acidity, fresh and vibrant, delicious as spring weather approaches. It's also being offered at a substantial discount, thanks to the importer, an introductory offer, if you will. The next time we purchase this wine, it will cost us substantially more, and our price will rise accordingly. So don’t delay! This won’t last very long on our shelves at this price! (PW)