Domaine Bernard Defaix – Chablis
Situated in the village of Milly in the heart of the Chablis region, Domaine Bernard Defaix et Fils was founded in 1959 and is now owned by the fourth generation of the Defaix family. Didier looks after the vineyards and the general management of the domaine, his brother Sylvain is responsible for the winemaking, and Hélène, Didier’s wife looks after sales and administration. The family now own 27 hectares of vineyard in Petit Chablis, Chablis and the Chablis 1er Crus, all planted on the typical Kimmeridgian soils of the area.
Organic viticulture is fundamental to the quality of the family’s grapes. They use no artificial sprays or fertilisers other than a little copper and sulphur which are necessary to protect against mildew. Instead they use biodynamic preparations such as horn manure to stimulate the vines’ foliage and photosynthesis.
About the winemaking
Key to the winery’s winemaking style are the very gentle pressing they give their grapes at harvest and the long (8-12months) period the young wines remain on their lees after fermentation. Since 2012 they have also been certified organic in the winery, which they believe helps the wines best express each of their terroirs and gives maximum purity, precision and minerality.
Their Petit Chablis comes from flatter grounds around the village of Chablis. It is aged on its fine lees for eight months in stainless steel tanks to preserve the freshness and the typicity of the wine, then bottled at the domaine.
Their Chablis Vieilles Vignes comes from a single plot of northeast-facing Chardonnay vines averaging 55 years of age. 25% of this wine is fermented and aged in used oak barrels with intermittent stirring of the lees for ten months. The remaining 75% is fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks on its fine lees for the same time period. The blend is then kept in a tank to be bottled 18 months after harvest with a very gentle filtration.
The Chablis 1er Cru Côte de Lechets Reserve comes from a special, low-yielding plot of southeast-facing vines over 60 years old. 50% of this “cuvée” is fermented and aged on its fine lees in used oak barrels, whilst the remainder matures on its lees in steel tanks.The lees are regularly stirred to instil maximum character and flavour to the wine. The wine is then bottled 18 months after the harvest after a gentle filtration.
