ISACS is the founder and CEO of EnjoyGourmet, a leading gourmet digital (www.enjoygourmet.com.cn) and print media company in China. He has authored over a dozen wine and food books including the awarded ISACS Guides and other gourmet books and is a wine consultant to governments, wine regions and organizations. He also hosts wine events for leading organizations and companies throughout China. Contact John via jcolumn@enjoygourmet.com.

Spring is a time of awakening, renewal and rejuvenation — a time when everything feels new, young and beautiful. While we’re stuck in the chilly vestiges of winter, we can still longingly look, listen and try to smell and taste the first traces of spring. Today’s iDEAL feature examines some of the yummy treats Chinese people traditionally indulge in to greet the advent of spring. These include pancakes, spring rolls and wraps with various spring ingredients. In honor of these long-standing customs, I’ll introduce one of the most appropriate wines for popular Chinese spring foods.

Vines in friendly climates with fertile soils that easily grow and bear fruit tend to make affable yet indifferent wines. Conversely, vines that grow in challenging climates with barren soils are far more likely to make wines with character. Chablis is a perfect example.

First there’s the weather. Next to Champagne and Alsace, the region of Chablis is the most northerly in France. Separated by 100 kilometers from the Cote d’Or, this northern outpost of Burgundy experiences cold temperatures and weather extremes. Spring frosts are a particular threat to immature buds before they become grapes. Severe weather at harvest time during the late summer or early autumn is another risk.

Despite climatic challenges, the history of winemaking in Chablis is long and rich. The 3rd century Roman emperor was said to have favored the white wines of Burgundy but they were most likely not Chardonnay. Winemaking in Burgundy dates back to the time of the Christ but earliest documented winemaking in the northern region of Chablis is from AD 510, and the Chardonnay variety was first planted there by the Cistercian monk in the 12th century.

Chablis’ proximity to Paris meant wines could be easily transported to the capital via the Yonne River, and therefore the wine became a favorite of French kings and nobility. For nearly a millennium the region prospered. Then in the mid 16th century the Huguenots ransacked the town of Chablis and surrounding vineyards. It would be two centuries before winemaking recovered.

Much of the 19th century was a period of prosperity for Chablis with production growing and the wine trade thriving. By mid-century there were 40,000 hectares (400 square kilometers) under cultivation. Then a merciless triple whammy of odium mildew, Phylloxera pests and a new railway system that linked other wine regions to Paris caused a steep drop in production. The 20th century proved no kinder with two world wars disrupting trade. By the 1950s, Chablis only had 550 hectares of vines under cultivation. In 1957, a severe spring frost decimated the crop, and an astoundingly meager 132 bottles of Chablis were produced! The future of this once great wine region seemed bleak indeed. But even during its darkest hours, Chablis still had its fans. This is hardly surprising as well-made Chablis is one of the most pure, stylish and singularly beautiful wines in the world. New technology was introduced in the 1970s and 1980s that helped protect against frost, and slowly but surely Chablis ascended back to its rightful position as a truly great white wine. But it’s not merely the region’s august history that makes Chablis the ideal spring wine.

In the wine world we love to say that Chablis is the perfect Chardonnay for those who don’t like Chardonnay. Chablis is of course 100 percent Chardonnay, but due to the climate, soils and winemaking, Chablis wines are more fresh, delicate and racy than the weightier, rounder and more fruity Chards of the southern Burgundy. Chablis wines are also more likely to exhibit distinctively steely or mineral characteristics. Another very spring-like property of Chablis has to do with the color green. The classic color of young Chablis wines is a vivid greenish-yellow that becomes more golden yellow with age.

Picking the right Chablis can be a challenge. It’s important to understand the different styles and quality levels of the region as well as the most reputable producers. Petit Chablis denotes wines made from vineyards that are the farthest away from the historic Chablis town. These are the lightest and least expensive Chablis wines that should be consumed young. Chablis AC wines are the largest category and vary in quality from good to excellent. Both the aforementioned wines have no or very little oak used in the winemaking process, and their light and fresh qualities make them very suitable for simple spring delicacies. Premier Cru Chablis wines and Grand Cru Chablis wines are more concentrated, refined and complex. There are approximately 40 Premier Cru vineyards in Chablis, and three of the best are Montee de Tonnerre, Mont de Milieu and Montmains. Grand Cru Chablis wines are among the greatest white wines in the world. The seven Grand Cru vineyards are Les Clos, Vaudesir, Valmur, Grenouilles, Blanchot, Preuses and Bougros. Both Premier and Grand Cru Chablis wines pair beautifully with elegant seafood and white meat dishes that feature fresh spring vegetables.

Once you decide the level of Chablis you desire, the next step is picking a producer. One easy-to-find producer is La Chablisienne, the largest cooperative in the region that accounts for almost 30 percent of production in the region.

Other excellent Chablis specialist producers I look for are Laroche, William Fevre, Defaix, Marchand, Louis Michel and Christian Moreau. Big Burgundy producers like Joseph Drouhin and Louis Jadot also make lovely Chablis wines.

Where to buy in Shanghai

Pudao Wines, 376 Wukang Rd, 6090-7075
William Favre Vaillons 1er Cru Chablis
William Favre Petit Chablis
Defaix Blanchot Grand Cru Chablis

Everwines, 2-Lane 289 Huxing Rd, 3388-1579
Joseph Drouhin Reserve de Vaudon Chablis

www.yesmywine.com
Louis Michel 1er Cru Chablis
Marchard Le Mineral Vielles Vignes Chablis

Varieties: Chardonnay is by far the most important grape in Chablis, but a tiny amount of Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris are also made.

Key term: Minerality in wine talk refers to the aroma and taste sensations of minerals in wines; something desirable, especially in white wines.