2022 Bernard Defaix Chablis
WINEMAKER: Sylvain & Didier Defaix
REGION: Burgundy, FR
VARIETAL: Chardonnay
VITICULTURE: Certified Organic
Defaix’s Chablis Villages is drawn from four parcels of mature, 30-plus-year-old vines situated around Milly and Poinchy, on the left bank of the Serein River. The wine was fermented wild and aged on fine lees for 10 months in glass-lined tanks.
Their vineyards are some of the most flawlessly tended, and their natural approach always results in wines that remind us why Chablis can be such a great drink: all purity, freshness, texture and, in some cases, screwcap closures. In the vineyards, a totally organic approach is adopted, with the total exclusion of herbicides and pesticides, and now biodynamic trials are now underway in those vineyards closest to the Domaine. The little fertiliser used is organic compost, and ploughing has become the norm, thus avoiding compacting the soil to encourage biodiversity. Yields are kept low and fermentations wild, bringing a crystalline intensity and great texture to the finished juice.