About this WINE
Domaine Daniel-Etienne Defaix
Domaine Daniel-Etienne Defaix is one of the oldest domaines in Chablis and certainly one of the finest. Based in the tiny hamlet of Milly just outside the village of Chablis, the family has been tending vineyards since 1610. Daniel-Etienne Defaix and his son Paul-Etienne Defaix is the 14th generation).
The domaine consists of 25 hectares of vineyards, including holdings in 3 Premiers Crus vineyards and a minute parcel in the Grand Cru "Les Blanchots". Daniel Defaix is firmly in the "unoaked" camp of Chablis producers.
He ferments his grapes in temperature-controlled stainless steel cuves and the wines then remain on their lees in tanks for at least 18 months before being bottled and released. The wines are buttery and concentrated, but are never cloyingly rich.
Above all, they are characterised by a marvellous purity of fruit that is the very essence of first-class Chablis. They also possess terrific medium to long-term cellaring potential.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is often seen as the king of white wine grapes and one of the most widely planted in the world It is suited to a wide variety of soils, though it excels in soils with a high limestone content as found in Champagne, Chablis, and the Côte D`Or.
Burgundy is Chardonnay's spiritual home and the best White Burgundies are dry, rich, honeyed wines with marvellous poise, elegance and balance. They are unquestionably the finest dry white wines in the world. Chardonnay plays a crucial role in the Champagne blend, providing structure and finesse, and is the sole grape in Blanc de Blancs.
It is quantitatively important in California and Australia, is widely planted in Chile and South Africa, and is the second most widely planted grape in New Zealand. In warm climates Chardonnay has a tendency to develop very high sugar levels during the final stages of ripening and this can occur at the expense of acidity. Late picking is a common problem and can result in blowsy and flabby wines that lack structure and definition.
Recently in the New World, we have seen a move towards more elegant, better- balanced and less oak-driven Chardonnays, and this is to be welcomed.
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Description
Daniel Defaix is a larger than life character in every sense of the word and a great champion of Chablis, which he produces in a unique style. Firstly, he owns superbly sited vineyards; his yields are lower than most, leading to wines of great concentration, and his vinification eschews oak in favour of stainless steel. The finished wine spends at least 18 months in tank in contact with its lees to imbue it with greater depth, and it has a surprising richness of texture, balanced by amazing purity and Chablisien minerality. A classic example of this famous appellation, brilliant with shellfish, or as a mouth-watering aperitif.
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