Domaine Bernard Defaix Chablis AC Vieilles Vignes – 2023

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.

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 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.

Beautifully fresh, dry, balanced and elegant with gentle flavours of fresh apple and honeysuckle.  At the same time it has remarkable richness, depth and complexity from the old vines, and a finish which grows and grows. Delicious!

Drink with grilled fish or poultry.