Chablis is a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy at SommSelect: We love this region and have been singing its praises as the go-to place for top value white Burgundy for years. And most of you seem to love it too, so we sell a lot of these mineral laden Chardonnay’s which means our supplier and importer friends bring us lots to taste. I know, tough job! That means that what makes it to our discoveries is the cream of the crop, which is precisely the case today. A strong core of critics routinely sing the praises of Domaine Bernard Defaix, with Revue du Vin de France calling their entire range an “outstandingly good value,” and Allen Meadows of Burghound noting them as “remarkably good” wines. And yet, with all this insane quality swirling about, the general population still lies very much in the dark. That’s starting to change, but the value remains outstanding (for now), so be sure to take advantage while you still can!
Although currently run by brothers Sylvain and Didier Defaix, let's focus first on the “founding father” of today’s label. Back in 1955, Bernard Defaix broke ground and hand-planted two hectares of vines in Côte de Lechet, a Premier Cru Chablis vineyard perched on the west side of the Serein, just across from the cluster of Grand Crus. Their parcel enjoys prime southeastern sun exposure and given its history and exceptionalism it remains one of the crown jewel vineyards of this family. With such a prized terroir, they work hard to ensure that all of their farming is 100% organic.
Indeed, their website states at the top of the page, in bold, “In order to make good wine, you need good grapes.” And the Defaix brothers’ Côte de Lechet isn’t just good, it’s great. Since 2012 they’ve been certified organic in both the vineyard and the cellar, and they are committed to meticulous, natural farming. As mentioned above, having pristine, healthy fruit makes the job in the winery pretty straightforward. The juice is fermented in steel tanks, and then aged on the fine lees for eight to twelve months before bottling. Everything is done maximise freshness and pure, terroir transparency.
For those who haven’t had the pleasure of tasting a wine from the Côte de Lechet Premier Cru before, get ready for a deeply textured, rich yet precise Chardonnay that retains Chablis’ signature minerality while incorporating the luxuriousness that can be found in Côte de Beaune. This is not your steely, high-acid, citrusy blend Chablis: It’s loaded with luscious layers of ripe yellow apple, yellow peach, pineapple, Mirabelle plum, apricot, damp stone, chalk, and crushed raw almonds. In other words, this is serious white Burgundy, and it will only get better as it evolves gracefully over the next three to five years or more. Rich, harmoniously balanced, and filled with broad textures, this is the Chardonnay I want to drink as we enter the winter months. Enjoy around 50-55 degrees in large Burgundy stems and pair it alongside pan-seared salmon in a decadent beurre blanc sauce. Cheers!
