so, there yuh go, although I knew Chablis was made from Chardonnay, I did not realize it was really just the name of the region.
So, is there such a thing as a Chardonnay that is produced in the Chablis/Burgundy region that is labelled Chardonnay and not Chablis?
I'm not trying to be difficult. Believe it or not, I've been making my own wine for more than 30 years and still don't understand half of it.
French Appelation laws are very specific as to how things are labeled. The variety of grape is Chardonnay. The region is Burgundy. Any chardonnay grown in Burgundy can be called either Chardonnay or White Burgundy. However, that is like calling something "white wine". It's not very prestigious. Within Burgundy is a more specific area called Chablis, which has their own more specific laws and regulations. If you grow and produce a Chardonnay in Chablis, and follow all the restrictions, you are entitled to call your wine by the more prestigious name of Chablis. If your wine does not meet the quality ond processing restrictions, then it can only be referrred to by the more generic name.
WIthin the Chablis area (or any other area in France), there are smaller areas, districts, villages, eacch with even more specific regulations. If you probuce your Chablis witthin the specific village, etc, and follow the fuirther restrictions, you can claim the new title/name.
Thus, if you produce a proper Chardonnay under the agency of the DOC regulations, you would not want to just call it Chardonnay. That would be a downgrade, indicating that you are not producing up to the standards of Chablis.
By the way, because of the northern climate, grapes grown in the Chablis region are more acidic and less fruity than other Chardonnay grapes grown firther south. This gives Chablis wine its distinctive characater.
Sorry if that's TMI.