Defaix Chablis Vieilles Vignes 2022
by Domaine Daniel-Etienne Defaix
- Grape variety
- Chardonnay
- Region
- Chablis AOC, Burgundy, France
- Style
- white
- Alcohol
- 12.5%
- Vintage
- 2022
Price: CHF 26.5 In stock
About this wine
The Defaix family has been making wine in Chablis since 1610 — the date is engraved on their label. Daniel-Etienne is the 14th generation. No oak, ever. Natural yeasts, complete malolactic fermentation, 12 months of monthly lees stirring in stainless steel, then held until ready. The oldest plots on the estate date to 1900 and are still producing. Their terroir is pure Kimméridgian marl — the fossilised Upper Jurassic oyster beds that make Chablis taste like nowhere else. The 2022 is bright, mineral, and precisely what Chablis at this level should be: direct, alive, and shaped by stone.
Tasting notes
Bright straw-gold with green reflections. The nose opens with green apple, white peach, and wet chalk, with a subtle floral lift. On the palate, the Kimméridgian minerality drives everything: lemon rind, crushed limestone, and a saline finish with the signature pierre à fusil note that Chablis delivers at its best. High acidity, tight and direct — classic Chablis.
Aromas
green apple, white peach, chalk, lemon zest, salinity, wet stone, white flowers
Critic scores
- Vivino: 4.1
Structure
body light-medium · tannin none · acidity very high · sweetness bone dry
Serving
Serve at 10–12°C · Drink 2025–2032
Food pairings
Oysters, Mussels marinière, Grilled turbot with herb butter, Comté
Best for
Oysters optional. Chablis obligatory.
From the winemaker
100% Chardonnay from Kimméridgian marl; natural yeast fermentation at 18°C; complete malolactic fermentation; 12 months monthly bâtonnage in stainless steel. No oak. Vines averaging 49 years old, oldest plots dating to 1900.
Editor's note
The Defaix family has been making wine in Chablis since 1610 — the date is engraved on their label. Daniel-Etienne is the 14th generation. No oak, ever. Natural yeasts, complete MLF, 12 months of monthly lees stirring in stainless steel, then held until ready. The oldest plots on the estate date to 1900 and are still producing. Their terroir is pure Kimméridgian marl — the fossilised Upper Jurassic oyster beds that make Chablis taste like nowhere else.
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