Tasted in Milly with Fabien Dauvissat, 09 January 2017.
Domaine Jean Dauvissat Père & Fils
11 et 13 rue de Léchet
89800 Milly
Tel: +33 3 86 42 12 23
www.chablis-dauvissat.com
Fabien on 2016:
“2016 was half a harvest – but otherwise it’s not bad, the wines are quite concentrated, the malos are close to finished. It was an
advantage that we are spread over many small parcels – 5-6 hl/ha harvested in Maligny due to hail. Beines had a little frost but it wasn’t bad, Côte de Lechets only 10 hl on 2 ha due to frost. Vaillons 16 hl due to hail and Montmains is never high due to older vines. I would call it a complicated vintage. Then, just before the harvest, there was porriture in Chapelle de Vaupelteigne, but fortunately it didn’t really catch hold like in 2013.
“We are not bio but we do the maximum. I’m not really planning for certification, we work the soil on all 22 hectares of the domaine, but in a vintage like 2016 I reserve the right to make a particular treatment. There are some plots in full Biodynamie as tests…”
Fabien on 2015:
“I arrived back from holiday all smiles, the grapes looked perfect but then came the hail, 10 metres away was no problem the other side of the line was devastated.
“The 2015s here have not really finished elevage, the Petit Chablis and the Chablis see 12 months elevage, but it’s 18 for the Premiers. I had some worry about the acidity, but in the end I’m happy with how they are tasting – I had 14° and a pH of 3.4 for the Vaillons – this was only the wine with some acidification.”
The wines…
April is planned for the bottling of the premiers. One of my favourite addresses – like most years!
2015 Petit Chablis
A small parcel of 0.16 ha, making a little over 1,000 bottles from the plateau of Chapelle la Vaupelteigne – the domaine’s smallest cuvée.
A hint of flowers, sweetness and herb too – very attractive. Mouth-filling, a little texture, fine flavour over the palate. Very fine PC!
2015 Chablis
The classic cuvée here, and the biggest with about 60,000 bottles. ‘From the most interesting parcels. The parcels found less interesting are sold to the négoce, but each year it’s a little different so I vinify all parcels then decide.’ This is the first vintage without a bought yeast for the whole cuvée.
A little herb and seashore – classic. More supple and finer textured, more melting complexity of flavour. More weight of flavour in the finish too. Long, fine. Excellent stuff!
The cuvée for Fabien’s daughter – a parcel selection with elevage in demi-muids, none new. ‘It’s the clientelle that demand some oak.’ Also 1 year elevage 1 yo barrels.
A deep nose, couched with oak notes, though a little more in the direction of spice than vanilla. Fresh, cool fruit, here is plenty of vanilla but also very fine fruit. For what it is, it’s absolutely delicious but you should be aware of the style…
Looking for more length and minerality from this, didn’t really want to call it VV, But almost every year, blind tasting, it’s the 4 oldest parcels of the domaine – a 1950-60 planting above Chapelle de Vaupelteigne.
A green hint to the colour. Fresh, a faintly floral and phenolic nose. Hmm, this has higher toned floral elements on the mouth, fine persistence too. Love this one.
2 ha, 1.5 really in the centre. Some court-noué so normally 30-40 hl from small concentrated grapes.
A deeper nose of riper lemon fruit. Plenty of gas. Really mouth-watering flavour, sweetly mineral – no austerity, fine citrus complexity to finish – bravo!
One 0.75 hecatre parcel in real Montmains. ‘Usually our last parcel to be harvested – I would have loved to give it another 15 days, but it wasn’t possible.’
Some ripe fruit, a little freshness too. Wide, fresh, hmm, this has gorgeous definition of fruit – slightly exotic but with beautiful balance and delivery. Excellent! Super finishing and very floral.
2015 Chablis 1er Vaillons
One 0.83 hectare parcel in Chatains.
A ripe fruit, shades of green and yellow citrus, slowly adding suggestions lf salinity. A hint of gas, but good volume and easy, lithe, mouth-watering flavour. Wide, wider on the mid-palate and a great wide line into the finish too. A persistent, fine, tasty wine – super.
2015 Chablis 1er Fourchaume
Another nice colour, faintly green. A deeper nose, weighty fruit almost a hint fumé. Hmm, this has some green fruit, and a beautiful width, texture and presence. A little bitter fruit and salinity at the finish – really a very attractive wine – it reminds me of 2008 in fruit style, just a little more ethereal.
2015 Chablis 1er l’Homme Mort
All barrel elevage. The domaine’s smallest cuvée – there was none in 2013. Almost all sold to Au Fils du Zinc in Chablis.
The nose is a little marked by the oak. Fresh, wide, complex and with fine energy. This is very marked by the oak today but it is beautiful in the mouth. The finish has good intensity and great persistence too. Just a bit too oaky today for me to say more.