"A genial gourmet, Daniel-Etienne Defaix is one of Chablis’s personalities, and his wines are no less characterful. He releases his sapid, gourmand expressions of Chablis at maturity — that’s to say, some 15 years after everyone else in the region. Gentle pressing followed by fermentation in stainless steel and élevage for as long as 30 months, with the lees kept in suspension, are the rudiments of his approach. These are textural, complex wines that evoke the white Burgundies of yesteryear, and they may confuse consumers habituated to the tart, brittle, processed wines that are often passed off as expressions of the region’s ‘terroir.’ Their potential to develop in bottle and their capacity to pair with a thrilling variety of foods, however, make them fascinating, at least to this writer. Much of the production is sold to France’s best restaurants, but what reaches the export market is well worth seeking out ....
Demand for the wines is high. The estate's 2010 premiers crus were bottled [in 2022], with plans to release them once the 2009s, reviewed here, are sold out. While I knew Defaix practiced very long élevage, I confess I hadn't quite realized just how long, but a tour of the winery revealed tank after tank, full of Chablis patiently awaiting its moment in the limelight. Since my last visit, 2007 and 2008 have both come and gone, but I tried examples of both and found much to admire."
William Kelley, Wine Advocate |
