Quality Charter

New plantings:  Future plantings will be of a minimum density of 8,000 vines per hectare. 

Environmental precautions: Conscious of the importance of respecting the environment, UGCC members will practice « viticulture raisonnée », with minimal use of all chemicals. 

Yields and limitations:

Fertilisation – Only organic substances are permitted, used sparingly in order to restrict plant vigour.

Pruning - Buds will be restricted to 75,000 per hectare.

De-suckering – in order to limit the potential crop in terms of bunches.

Green harvest – will be used if potential crop levels are too high.

Harvest – only manual harvesting is authorised.

Control in the vineyards:  A commission comprised of Union members, will visit all Chablis Grand Cru vineyards owned by the members, during the first fortnight of July. This commission will be charged with verifying the health of the vines and bunches and checking probable crop levels. In the event of non-compliance with the charter, they will inform the member and engage him to rectify the situation. 

Traceability: At the very least, both the name of the Grand Cru and its vintage must appear on the closure (cork or screwcap).

 The Union’s approved mark: in order to be authorised to place the seal of approval of “Union des Grands Crus de Chablis” on its bottles of Chablis Grand Cru, members must submit their lots, after final bottling, to a tasting committee comprised of other Union members. These tastings will be conducted blind 15 months after the harvest. Any wine refused may be submitted again. After three refusals, it will become officially « non-approved ».

Selling dates: No wine sold before the January 1st of the second year following vintage (15 months after harvest) will be allowed to bear the seal of «l’Union des Grands Crus de Chablis ».