I’ve mistaken Dauvissat’s Premier Cru “Vaillons”
Vieilles Vignes for a Grand Cru more than once—in fact, I feel like it happens every time. It most definitely did in my personal-favorite 2014 vintage, and it fooled several knowledgeable sommelier friends as well. Wine from Vaillons is a remarkable, mineral-accented luxury that any French wine lover should experience, but those under the attractively priced J&S Dauvissat label are true standouts.
Having said that, many people don’t realize that Dauvissat’s “Vaillons” lineup extends one more rung and only costs a few dollars more: Today’s
vieilles vignes (old vines) bottling comes from their oldest vineyard block and is held back in the winery for several years before release. As a result, it has more concentration, richness, and mineral complexity than its younger-vine sibling. Whenever we have the rare chance to offer this micro-production wine, we take full advantage, but that opportunity comes far less frequently than we would like—four vintages have passed since we were last able to showcase one! I really don’t know how else to say it: This 2014 hails from one of the world’s greatest terroirs and feels like an elite Grand Cru wine, all while hovering in the $50 range. It’s a superstar Chablis: I cannot recommend it highly enough!
Sébastien Dauvissat’s family has been farming the same small collection of parcels near the hamlet of Chichée since 1899. Following the unfortunate death of his father, Jean, this property has essentially been a one-man show that produces a limited number of cases beneath Sébastien’s 17th-century house. Like his father, he crafts extraordinary Chablis that contends with the far-pricier labels of their extended family (Vincent Dauvissat), and that’s because of their premium vineyard sites, classic winemaking, and the lost art of patience. Take, for example, today’s 2014 Vaillons Vieilles Vignes: It ages several years in a combination of neutral oak, stainless steel, and bottle before its eventual release. Now approaching five years of age, this savory Chardonnay explodes from the glass with powerful chalk-etched minerality, savory honey-truffle components, and profound fruit richness.
As with all top sites in Chablis, Kimmeridgian limestone is the dominant soil type beneath this family’s vines—which are extremely limited in scope but are located in some outstanding Premier and Grand Cru sites. Vaillon” is a renowned Premier Cru that spreads across a southeast-facing slope on the west side of the Serein River (the cluster of Chablis Grand Crus is on the opposite side of the Serein to the northeast). Sébastien Dauvissat owns 10 acres here, but within that is a pocket of 60-year-old vines designated for today’s rare bottling.
Juice for this cuvée is pressed directly into neutral barrels for fermentation (alcoholic and malolactic) and then aged for more than a year on its raw lees. Following, the wine is transferred into stainless steel for yet another year of aging before bottling—but even then, the aging process is not finished! Sébastien allows his wines to mature further in bottle before releasing them to the market. With 2017 Burgundies already hitting American shelves, it’s such a refreshing change of pace to see Dauvissat’s current-release 2014 gracing our website.
What a pulse-pounding elite Chablis this is! Dauvissat’s 2014 explodes out of the bottle with massive energy and rich mineral complexities that envelop the vibrant fruits at play. After a 30-60-minute decant to shed the slight bit of reduction, the greets your palate with a clinging embrace of yellow apple skin, fresh pineapple, salt-preserved lemon, citrus blossoms, raw lees, pear, and crushed oyster shell. Its all-encompassing density does not weigh down the palate—laser sharp acid slices and dices from start to finish, allowing for an electric tune throughout. If you want savory, richly layered, Grand Cru-styled Chablis, you can’t find a more prestigious $50-something bottle than this one. We guarantee the terroir-stamped salty minerality and lush yellow fruit will stun any white Burgundy drinkers. Serve in large Burgundy stems, swirl as much as you can, and watch the savory evolution of the wine over the course of several hours. Make sure you hold a few bottles back, too: It has the power and structure to last decades in your cellar!
