Vincent Dauvissat Chablis 1er Cru ‘La Forest’ 2017

Why is this Wine so Yummy?

Vincent Dauvissat is considered one of the greatest producers in Chablis. Alongside the similarly esteemed Francois Raveneau, these two producers continue to define great Chablis.

René & 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 (a.k.a. La Forêt.)

At a price that’s half the grand crus, many knowledgeable observers regard La Forest as a near-equal, regularly achieving grand cru levels of expressiveness, depth and complexity.

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.

About Vincent Dauvissat

Vincent Dauvissat is arguably the finest Domaine in Chablis, owning some of the oldest and best vineyards, including prized sections of the grand crus, Les Clos and Les Preuses. Established in 1931 by Robert Dauvissat, the Domaine has passed down from father to son for three generations. Robert’s son René is to thank for establishing the reputation of the Domaine. Vincent began working with his father, René, in the 1970s and today runs the Domaine.

The Dauvissats remain one of Chablis’ great traditionalists. As the torch has been passed down from generation to generation, little has changed here.

If anything, the wines have become increasingly profound since Vincent officially took reins in 1989. One significant change is his preference for natural farming, using vine treatments sparingly, if at all. In 2002 he oversaw the implementation of biodynamic farming methods. His approach to oak is carefully considered, used to add complexity and dimension to his piercingly mineral concentrated wines; some of barriques are 30+ years old.

They resulting wines are rarely exotic in their youth, tight as drum in fact. But with age – and they do age by gracefully by the decade – they evolve and develop into exciting wines of the sophistication and intrigue.

In the Vineyards

Vincent Dauvissat farms nearly 30 acres of meticulously kept vineyards, following sustainable, organic and biodynamic methods. These vines (4.5 acres of Vaillons, 2 of Séchets, and 9.4 of Fôrets among the Premiers Crus; 2.5 of Preuses and 4.5 of Les Clos among the Grands Crus) are splendidly situated on hillsides underlain by Jurassic limestone. Yields are limited to about 50 hectoliters per hectare (3.7 tons per acre), which is modest by the standards of the region.

In the Winery

Vinification at the domaine is painstaking and traditional at a time when many growers in Chablis have adopted methods permitting increased yields producing simple wines that reach maturity quickly. Vincent Dauvissat, on the other hand, gives all his wines at least a year in Nevers oak, a portion of which is new each vintage. This practice, imposed on top-quality grapes slowly and carefully fermented, results in wines that are deep, complex, and long-lived. They are clearly characteristic of their respective cru, exhibiting the steely bite so typical of Chablis, but with a purity, intensity of flavor, and structural soundness increasingly rare in the region’s wines.

The 2017 Vintage at Vincent Dauvissat

The always thoughtful Vincent Dauvissat simply sighed when I asked about the 2017 vintage, noting that “it was yet another vintage where we lost crop to an April frost, which in this case cost us about 30% relative to a normal harvest. In contrast to 2016 though, we really didn’t have much disease pressure and nowhere near the same level of mildew. I chose to begin picking in early September and the fruit was basically spotless with very good maturity levels. Potential alcohols were in the range of 13% and thus nothing was chaptalized. Acidities were adequate if not high, which means that the wines should be a bit more pliant when they’re young. As to the style of the 2017s, I would describe them as a mix of 2002 and 2014 with perhaps a bit more structure than the ’14s. The other aspect about them that is notable is just how saline they are. It’s immediately clear that they are wines from Chablis and in that sense, those who love classically styled Chablis should be very happy with them.”

Allen Meadows, Burghound

The Geology & Geography of Chablis Explored

Where in the World is Vincent Dauvissat

Vincent Dauvissat is located in Chablis. Technically a part of Burgundy, Chablis represents the northern more part of the region and lies to the north of Beaune and to the south of Paris.

The map below shows the location of Dauvissat’s vineyards around Chablis. These include: A – Chablis Grand Cru ‘Les Preuses’, B – Chablis Grand Cru ‘Les Clos’, C – Chablis Premier Cru ‘Sechet’
D – Chablis Premier Cru ‘Vaillons’, E – Chablis Premier Cru ‘Les Forest’.