Domaine Vincent Dauvissat, "Les Preuses" Chablis Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2016
Overview of the Wine
Domaine Vincent Dauvissat is arguably the finest Domaine in Chablis. Established in the 1970s by Robert Dauvissat, the Domaine has passed down from father to son for three generations. Robert’s son René is to thank for establishing the reputation of the Domaine. Vincent began working with his father, René, in the 1970s and today runs the Domaine. A loyal following among France’s most esteemed restaurateurs sharply limits the availability of Dauvissat wines for export. Despite limited quantities, the wines have attracted the praise and attention of critics worldwide.
Vinification at the domaine is painstaking and traditional at a time when many growers in Chablis have adopted methods permitting increased yields producing simple wines that reach maturity quickly. Vincent Dauvissat, on the other hand, gives all his wines at least a year in Nevers oak, a portion of which is new each vintage. This practice, imposed on top-quality grapes slowly and carefully fermented, results in wines that are deep, complex, and long-lived. They are clearly characteristic of their respective cru, exhibiting the steely bite so typical of Chablis, but with a purity, intensity of flavor, and structural soundness increasingly rare in the region’s wines.
Grape / Blend
Chardonnay
Origin
Burgundy, France
Winemaker's Tasting Notes
A very complete wine, made from the best hillsides on the right bank of the Serein, "Les Preuses," which extend "Bougros" up the hillside, are often considered to be one of the "easiest" grands crus to taste, thanks to their roundness which gives them an impression of fatness.
Pale, bright yellow. Very pure, subtle, fresh aromas of jasmine, white pepper and tarragon. Wonderfully silky, ripe and classically dry in the mouth, with its lemon drop and floral flavors communicating a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity. Really titillates the taste buds on the very long, subtle whiplash of a finish. Like the Forest, this stands out for its grain and purity.
From bottle, the 2016 Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses is the most reticent wine in the cellar, unfurling slowly with aromas of orange blossom, oatmeal, wet stones and honeycomb. On the palate, it's full-bodied, tense and stony, with excellent depth and dimension. It's not as lively or intense as the 2017 rendition, but it's a very serious wine that will demand some bottle age before it reveals all its plenitude.
Product size: 750ml