Petit Chablis 2019 Rene & Vincent Dauvissat – Vineut

Reseña profesional

René et Vincent Dauvissat is one of the most prestigious producers from the Chablis AOC in northern Burgundy. It is family-owned and -operated and has been selling wine under the family name since 1931. In 1976 Vincent began helping his father René Dauvissat and he has since taken over. The wines are bottled under both René et Vincent Dauvissat and Domaine Dauvissat-Camus; Camus being Vincent’s mother’s maiden name.

Chablis in general is known for its steely, crisp wines made from Chardonnay. The soil of the best sites is Kimmeridgian, a mineral-rich clay with significant lime content formed by a high density of marine fossils. The top vineyards in Chablis are awarded grand cru status and René et Vincent Dauvissat has sections in two: Les Clos and Les Preuses. Additionally, the Dauvissats have four premier cru sites; Séchet, Vaillons, Montmains, and the acclaimed La Forêt vineyard, the quality of which is equal to the grand crus in great vintages.

René et Vincent Dauvissat also produces a Villages Chablis and a Petit Chablis. However, the Dauvissats are so closely associated with the grand and premier cru sites that the Villages Chablis can be the most difficult of the wines to find.

The fruit is naturally farmed and hand-harvested. No de-stemming is done and malolactic fermentation occurs spontaneously. Winter temperatures cause the tartrates to precipitate out of the wine; beyond this the wines are un-fined. Unconventionally for Chablis, Dauvissat forgoes bâtonnage (stirring to increase lees contact). René et Vincent Dauvissat is also one of the few Chablis producers to use oak barrels during élevage, though the barrels used are 6-8 years old. The belief is that the oak is essential in developing the body and structure of the wine, but old barrels are used so that the flavor characteristics are unaffected.