I hesitate a bit before calling a $79 bottle a “bargain,” but this rare and delicious wine is exactly that. This is a perfectly mature expression of Grand Cru Chablis from one of the village’s top vineyard sites, a deeply respected family estate, and a vintage that seems custom-built for this region.
It explodes from the glass with overwhelming mineral complexity, texture, and depth. But again, for me, the real shocker here is the price. I’m used to seeing Grand Cru “Les Preuses” on restaurant wine lists for $300-600 per bottle—and perhaps more pertinently, I’m not used to seeing Jean & Sébastian Dauvissat’s Grand Cru “Les Preuses” at all. This extremely rare bottling is the family’s undisputed top wine. It is essentially invisible outside of elite restaurants—particularly with nearly six years of age and priced so modestly. So, if you’re in the market for the perfect wedding gift or a bottle to commemorate an especially important occasion, this is your wine!
The 2011 Dauvissat Chablis Grand Cru “Les Preuses” displays a light straw golden core with green and golden reflections on the rim. The exotic nose encapsulates what Grand Cru Chablis achieves at its highest level, offering up notes of beeswax, honey, white mushrooms, lees, preserved yellow apple, white peach, salt-preserved lemon, preserved pineapple, dried white flowers, crushed white stone and oyster shells. The full-bodied palate is dense and viscous with flavors which recall the nose, but with an extra dose of exoticism with the fruit. As is often the case of “Les Preuses” from a top estate, there is almost more aromatic and textural information here than the human brain can process. This is a memorably complex and layered wine, truly as good as Chablis gets (which is very good indeed). I recommend decanting 60-90 minutes before serving in a large Burgundy stem at 55-65 degrees (as I’ve often noted, I prefer the warmer side so the complex personality can emerge). Drink this bottle slowly: it is a chameleon that will evolve dramatically as you drink it. Great Chablis is an obviously compatible mate for oysters and other fresh, light fish, but Sébastien Dauvissat’s best wines always seem to come with an extra little punch. This bottle is no exception, which makes for an ideal opportunity to introduce the sweet richness of Shiro Miso to your home kitchen. This is one of my favorite Japanese ingredients to play around with at home, and it’s the essential ingredient to this masterful Broiled Cod recipe from legendary chef Nobu Matsuhisa (note: I usually serve simply prepared Bok Choy on the side). It’s a gastronomic experience you won’t soon forget!