Domaine Jean Dauvissat - Chablis Héritage 2021
The Domaine Jean Dauvissat Père & Fils is located in Milly, in the heart of the Chablis region, in this northern part of Burgundy where Chardonnay expresses a particularly pure identity. It should not be confused with other Dauvissat estates in Chablis, as this family property has its own style, now carried by Fabien Dauvissat, representing the new generation. The estate works with the appellations Petit Chablis, Chablis, and Chablis Premier Cru, with particular attention to the precision of the terroirs and the natural freshness of the wines. The Héritage cuvée holds an important place in the range, as it comes from the oldest vines of the estate. These old vines, planted between 1950 and 1960 on the Chapelle Vaupelteigne plateau, yield low quantities and naturally higher concentration. The vineyard management is described as organic, with biodynamic practices implemented since 2018. The Chablis Héritage 2021 thus expresses a serious and mineral interpretation of the appellation, in a style deeper than a classic village Chablis.
This Héritage cuvée is made from Chardonnay grown on old vines whose deep roots allow them to reach the limestone rock and mineral elements of the subsoil. The Chapelle Vaupelteigne plateau offers an environment conducive to upright, saline, and structured wines, with a more intense expression than younger plots. The old vines, planted without modern clonal logic according to some sources, bring additional complexity and a more nuanced identity to the wine. The 2021 vintage, fresh and demanding in Chablis, required rigorous work in the vineyard but allowed the production of whites with great tension. In this context, Héritage 2021 stands out with a crystalline expression, less sunny than the 2020 or 2022 vintages, but particularly faithful to the classic spirit of Chablis. Available information mainly highlights the deep minerality, concentration linked to old vines, and limestone freshness. This wine thus presents itself as a terroir Chablis, precise, vertical, and built on energy rather than opulence.
On tasting, the Chablis Héritage 2021 reveals a clear, tense, and deeply Chablisian profile. The nose evokes lemon, grapefruit, green apple, white flowers, and a touch of oyster shell. Aeration can bring out nuances of wet stone, fresh chalk, zest, and more delicate white fruits. On the palate, the wine is upright, precise, and salivating, with a lively acidity that supports the body without harshness. The limestone minerality gives length and a saline, elegant, and persistent finish. This Chablis will ideally accompany oysters, seafood, langoustines, grilled fish, scallops, or aged goat cheese. It can be enjoyed now for its freshness and tension, but the old vines also give it the capacity to evolve for a few years in the cellar.
Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay
