Vincent Dauvissat Chablis 1er Cru ‘Séchet’ 2014

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.

Dauvissat produces three other premier crus—Séchet, Vaillons and Montmains—and they are among Chablis’ best. Wines from the Séchet vineyards are typically quite fragrant, with excellent concentration and hallmark notes of citrus and white fruit.

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 2014 Vintage at Vincent Dauvissat

The always thoughtful Vincent Dauvissat describes 2014 as a “seesaw vintage that suffered through a difficult flowering and poor summer that were sandwiched between a great beginning and ending. Usually when the flowering is disrupted it’s due to rainy and/or cool conditions but in 2014 it was extreme heat as it was 37° C [99° F] in the shade! This caused a lot of shatter with the resulting development of shot berries. The summer was then mostly cool and rainy but once the véraison had completed the weather was entirely propitious to allow the vines to bring the fruit to full maturity. We chose to begin picking on the 16th of September and brought in good if not voluminous yields though it was varied. For example, yields in the 1ers were very good but they were on the low side for Petit Chablis and the grands crus. The fruit was super clean with good levels of both sugars and acidities that averaged around 12% in terms of potential alcohols. In terms of the style of the wines, I would liken them to a hypothetical synthesis of 2002 and 2008, which is to say the fleshiness and roundness of the 2002s with the firm acidities and concentration of the 2008s. I think the 2014s will age very well.” Dauvissat chose not to present the Montée de Tonnerre.

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’.