Dauvissat takes the tried-and-true middle path between oak and steel for maximum expression of terroir while kindly leaving your tooth enamel intact. The grape juice is pressed directly into neutral barrels for both alcoholic and malolactic fermentations on the raw lees (spent yeast cells), before a second year in stainless steel. Sébastien holds the Vieilles Vignes bottling back for additional bottle aging, so there are already a few years of positive evolution by the time you pull the cork. The result: resoundingly classic Chablis with an extra dose of unctuous texture, plush and focused and electrifying all at once.

We strongly recommend keeping a close eye on the temperature of this bottle. Don’t serve it too cold—55 degrees should be just right. This wine has all the tension of a loaded crossbow; let it soften in decanter for an entire hour (or two, or three!) to blow off some of its extra energy. But once it cracks open, this 2019 unleashes a wave of citrus sensations—Meyer lemon, kumquat, and yuzu. Its pale lemon-yellow is a bit deceiving for being profoundly rich and fat in the mouth, balanced by higher acidity and structure than the basic Vaillons cuvée. The palate has chiseled minerality padded by fleshy sweetness. Fresh pineapple, raw pie crust, and heady notes of white truffle build slowly towards a salty, yellow-fruited crescendo. It is tense and alive and ready to rumble now and over the next 7-10 years. Let it melt with bites of raw sea urchin on your tongue with this recipe for uni pasta, and thank your lucky stars you bought more than a single bottle.