Domaine Daniel-Etienne Defaix Chablis Vieilles Vignes 2023

Domaine Daniel-Étienne Defaix (also known as Domaine du Vieux Château) is a true Chablis legend, with winemaking roots stretching back centuries. The estate is a radical outlier in the region: following an ultra-extended aging on the lees - often lasting between 18 to 36 months - the wines are purposefully held back and released only when they have achieved full maturity and peak complexity. Combined with organic farming and Chablis' famed Kimmeridgian limestone soils, this unique approach lends the wines an incredible depth of flavour while maintaining that textbook, searing acidity and minerality.

The Chablis 'Vieilles Vignes' is an old-vine village cuvée aged for up to three years before release, offering the perfect introduction to the estate’s distinctive style. The nose reveals a cool, finely etched profile of wet stone, green apple, and ripe yellow fruit. On the palate, it is mouth-watering and saline, yet it shows a level of generosity and weight rarely seen on a village-level bottling. Superb as an aperitif, this is a wonderfully gastronomic Chablis capable of standing up to richer seafood or fish dishes, as well as white meat or fresh cheese.