|
| "Technically retired but very much a continuing presence at his eponymous Domaine, Vincent Dauvissat — who forsook a career as a shepherd to become one of France's most celebrated vignerons — couldn't disguise his satisfaction as we tasted his recently bottled portfolio .... Chiseled, concentrated and pungently mineral, there's no grower in the region who has done a better job of retaining all of Chablis's classical signatures in the warmer, sunnier vintages of the last decade."
William Kelley, Wine Advocate |
| | | | "Once again, Dauvissat has produced some of the wines of the vintage, and they will be worth a special effort to seek out.
Readers will remember that farming here is organic but without certification. The harvest is by hand, and the wines ferment in tank before racking to barrel with the lees (Raveneau's Chablis, by contrast, are racked to barrel more or less without their lees), spending a second winter in wood before bottling. A first bottling, destined for the American market, sees a light filtration, while a second bottling — some of which is sealed with wax, some of which sees a foil capsule — will come out a little later in the year and will not be filtered."
William Kelley, Wine Advocate |
| | | "René and Vincent Dauvissat are world-famous for their coveted Les Clos and Les Preuses. But insiders know of a third prize in their portfolio: the Premier Cru La Forest (aka La Forêt.)
At a price that’s half the Grands Crus, many knowledgeable observers regard La Forest as a near-equal, regularly achieving Grand Cru levels of expressiveness, depth and complexity. Dauvissat produces three other Premiers Crus — Séchet, Vaillons, and Montmains — and they are among Chablis’ best. But as fine as they are, La Forest combines a rounder, more honeyed texture with deeper aromas and flavors. This enables the wine to reach a degree of weight and complexity typically found only in the best Grands Crus. There is also a pronounced sous bois characteristic with an anise seed nuance that comes with age; this, too, is an expression of the great La Forest terroir. These qualities come from a high percentage of old vines (a 40+-year average); a perfect southern exposure; and a classic Kimmeridgian soil that is — like the great Grand Cru Les Clos — mostly clay. Such soils are cool — cooler, for example, than Forest’s rival, Montée de Tonnerre — and they retain less heat. They are most sensitive to frost in the spring, and the fruit ripens more slowly."
RWC |
| | | | The Dauvissats farm 9.4 acres of vines in La Forest, their largest Premier Cru holding, with an average vine age of ~45 years; the wine is aged in Nevers oak |
| ▪ "One of the Dauvissat specialities, the La Forest is a triumph in 2021. From 7 small parcels, the total site is less than 1 hectare with average vine age more than 40 years. Intriguing, slightly smoky nose, highly distinctive and different to others in the range. Plenty of power, ripe stone fruit flavours, zesty citrus acidity with a herbaceous edge adding an extra dimension. Definitely of Grand Cru quality."
95
Andy Howard MW, Decanter Magazine |
| ▪ "There is a hint of phenolic character on the aromas of crushed leaf, mineral reduction, lemon-lime, and seaweed. The denser, succulent and powerful larger-scaled flavors are supported by a firm acid spine on the stony, youthfully austere and bitter citrus rind finale. This is quite dry and I very much like the balance though I would note that at least some patience is strongly suggested as this is quite tightly wound today. In a word, terrific."
94
Allen Meadows, Burghound |
| | | | A cuvée of 3 different parcels of 50+-year-old vines that total just under 2.5 acres
|
| ▪ "... The 2020 Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos, at least at this early stage, gets my nod as the king of the cellar — and the wine of the vintage. Wafting from the glass with aromas of citrus oil, fresh bread, oyster shell, white flowers and wet stones, it's full-bodied, layered and textural, with huge concentration, racy acids and a long, resonant finish."
98
William Kelley, Wine Advocate |
| ▪ "The nose soars from the glass in a blend of apple, pear, lime zest, a stunning base of flinty, chalky, wet stone minerality and oyster shell, vanillin oak and a topnote of fruit blossoms. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and shows off a gorgeous core of fruit, but the real beauty here is in the stunningly complex base of minerality, coupled with vibrant acids, impeccable focus and grip and a very, very long, dancing and seamlessly balanced finish. A stunning wine in the making."
98
John Gilman, View From The Cellar |
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