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Wine Tasting Adventure

2013 Domaine Daniel-Etienne Defaix, Chablis 1er Cru `Les Lys` - Liberty

£46.49 GBP
£46.49 GBP

Daniel-Etienne Defaix is the 14th generation to run the Defaix family estate, which is believed to be the oldest in Chablis, with a history dating back to 1610. Daniel-Etienne took over from his father in 1978 and started making wine “as (his) grandfather had done”. This involved keeping the wine in tank for lengthy periods and putting it through monthly bâtonnage, a practice he still retains.

“My grandfather’s generation used to keep the wine for so long in order to protect themselves against frost, to ensure they would always have wine to sell,” he explains. This approach ensures Domaine Daniel-Etienne Defaix can consistently offer an excellent selection of mature Chablis.

The domaine has just over 28 hectares of vines, almost all of which are around the village of Milly, on the left bank of the Serein. Daniel-Etienne has 14 hectares in Chablis and another 14 across the 1er Crus. Grapes from his younger vines, which account for about half the crop, are sold directly to négociants at harvest. Aside from a small holding in Blanchots, the whole crop is machine-harvested so he can pick when the grapes are perfectly ripe. As a result, harvest never lasts longer than a week.

Daniel-Etienne ferments his wines in tanks with indigenous yeasts, and all of the wines go through malolactic fermentation. His 1er Crus are aged in tank for at least four years, undergoing a monthly bâtonnage. “The fine lees break up during bâtonnage and release glycerine, which acts as an antioxidant,” explains Daniel-Etienne. Instead of being bottled immediately, the wines are kept in tank to retain freshness.

The ’Vieilles Vignes’ is an excellent introduction to Daniel-Etienne’s style and is the product of low-yielding 45 to 50-year-old vines aged for 12 months on lees with monthly bâtonnage. 1er Cru ‘Les Lys’ is a deep gold colour, with an evolved character on the nose. The wine has good depth and texture on the palate with excellent acidity, which creates its superb length. ‘Les Lys’ is at the top of the ‘Vaillons’ 1er Cru and was owned by the French monarchy at one point, hence the name ‘Lys’, given its association with the royal family. ‘Les Lys’ can also be sold as ‘Vaillons’, but Defaix gives this great vineyard an identity in its own right.

Les Lys is a 'climat' at the top of the Vaillons 1er Cru plot and takes its name from the fact it used to be owned by the French crown. The vineyards are planted on Kimmeridgian marl soils and are south-east facing, which enables the grapes to undergo a slow ripening process and accumulate delicate aromatic flavours.

2013 will be remembered as a year with a late harvest. Winemakers have lost the habit of harvesting in October, yet this low-yield vintage was no exception. May was cool and rainy and flowering took place in arduous conditions. It ended up being irregular, causing coulure (During flowering in the spring, wind, and rain, as well as chemical deficiencies, can keep grapevine flowers from being properly fertilized, causing these flowers to drop off the cluster). The fruit set also occurred under challenging circumstances, and even though in September the weather was optimal, it did not make up for the loss. High temperature and humidity in early October, raised fears of botrytis however the harvest resulted in healthy and concentrated grapes.

The grapes were pressed very gently. They underwent a cool fermentation in stainless-steel tanks using only natural yeasts at a controlled temperature of 18°C for three weeks. Malolactic fermentation took place before the wine was left to age on its fine lees for 5 years in tanks. During this period there was monthly bâtonnage (lees stirring). The bâtonnage breaks up the fine lees and releases glycerine, which acts as an antioxidant, helping the wine to successfully age. The wine was stored for a further 2 years in tank, before bottling in June 2023.

This wine has a beautifully evolved and earthy character on the nose with persistent mineral notes. Balanced and textured on the palate, with hints of white jasmine and truffle underpinned by a bright, lively acidity. Les Lys has superb length with notes of buttered brioche that carry through to the finish.