Tasted in Beines with Florent Dauvissat, 07 January 2019.

Domaine Agnes et Didier Dauvissat
Chemin de Beauroy
89800 Beines
Tel: + 33 3 86 42 46 40
www.domainedauvissat.fr

Florent on 2018:
“No frost or hail, then great flowering – almost certainly because of that, we had a lot of grapes! The dryness was a worry though – we thought we would end up with lots of grapes but with no juice. In the end it was a deluge of juice – we don’t know where from – but with a proper maturity – harvested at 11.5-12° – so really happy in the end. A vintage that we’ve waited for! 2018 fermentations are just finished – the wines have a good line. We don’t harvest too late because Chablis are wines of acidity and line. Started 02 September – about a week earlier than in 2017.”

Florent on 2017:
“2017 – after 2016 with frost and some hail – it had to be a better result in 2017. Still we had some Spring frost in some places – mainly the Petit Chablis – we probably lost about half. But we had a good summer and so finally – there could have been a little more juice but that was due to the dryness – but grapes good maturity so we can be happy with that. The juice was concentrated, so we were about minus 20% vs a ‘correct’ vintage – some neighbours lost a lot more, so we’re not complaining!

“Currently I like the balance of richness and minerality in the 2017s a little more than the 2016.”

The wines…

Every wine delicious!

For Petit Chablis and Chablis a DIAM equivalent – from Trescases – ‘These are drunk in a year, for export it’s perfect. A higher quality cork for the higher wines.’

2017 Petit Chablis
An assembly of parcels, in plateau of Beines, near Vauligneau and above the grand crus. Bottled in February
Hmm – nicely vibrant, clean citrus with depth. Hmm – lots of volume, good energy – clarity – ooh this is super! Mineral, lingering length – not a bit austere

2017 Chablis
5.5 ha of Chablis in total – this representing 3 of those hectares in Fyé, behind Blanchots, just below the plateau of Petit Chablis. Bottled in April, with a second bottling in June.
More depth, more implied concentration in that depth – faintly green fruit – lime – saline. Supple, fresh – energy again, a touch – but only that – of mineral austerity, but the flavour is melting over the palate. This starts with a glare and finishes with a caress – it’s simply super!

2017 Chablis 1er Beauroy
2 hectares of vines in a single parcel in Côte de Savant. The most recent bottling – done in July.
Ooh – that’s super! – it needs you to work the glass a little but a fine, transparent nose. More width, great energy, clarity – depth of growing intensity, salinity, melting flavour – almost delicious – but you won’t have to wait long for full deliciousness! Hmm – love – slightly floral finishing too.

2017 Chablis Les Petits Vignerons
Hand harvested, half elevage in wood. A parcel in Courgis – 0.5 ha near Chaume de Talvat – 500 l barrels for vinification and the rest in tank – 12 months elevage with about 1/3 barrel, bottling in October. Only just commercializing the 2016.
Less volume of aroma but a fine and complex nose with a forward salinity. Big in the mouth – partly due to some gas – but energy seems boundless. Slowly lingering flavour – little finishing waves, sweet but also saline – delicious wine.

2017 Chablis 1er Beauroy Eléve en Fût de Chêne
This with barrel elevage. About 50% new barrels but all 500 litre not 228 – some ‘Bourguignone’ 228s used for the 2018 vintage. – ‘It’s a small volume’ says Florent!
Here the difference – a sweetness of oak, more than hinting at vanilla – but not directly so. Fresh, energetic – no gas this time – a little barrel flavour but really nothing abrasive. Long, complex and delicious finishing. A different style, for a different palate – but great stuff all the same!