Bernard Defaix ‘Vieilles Vignes’ Chablis, Burgundy, France 2023
Domaine Bernard Defaix stands as a benchmark producer of classically styled, terroir-driven Chablis. Founded in 1959 by Bernard Defaix with just two hectares, this fourth-generation family estate has grown to 27 hectares under the stewardship of Bernard's sons Sylvain and Didier, alongside Didier's wife Hélène. Based in the village of Milly on Chablis' left bank, the domaine holds enviable parcels in premier cru sites including Côte de Léchet, Les Lys, and Vaillons, producing wines celebrated for their purity, precision, and mineral intensity.
- WINEMAKER: Sylvain Defaix (winemaking) and Didier Defaix (viticulture), with Hélène Jaeger-Defaix managing commercial operations.
- FARMING: Certified Organic (Ecocert certified since 2009). The estate employs biodynamic preparations including horn manure (500), horn silica (501), and herbal teas to stimulate vine vitality and combat parasites. Soil maintenance is achieved exclusively through plowing to aerate the earth and bury weeds. Only contact treatments such as sulfur and copper are used for vineyard protection.
- VARIETY: 100% Chardonnay from a single one-hectare parcel of 50+ year-old vines.
- TERROIR: The Vieilles Vignes parcel is located on the stony slopes of Milly with exceptional sun exposure. The vineyard sits on Chablis' characteristic Kimmeridgian clay-limestone soils rich in marine fossils, which impart the wine's distinctive mineral character and saline finish.
- VINIFICATION: Fermentation occurs with native yeasts. 25% of the wine is fermented in used oak barrels while 75% is fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, preserving aromatic purity and freshness.
- AGING: The wine is aged on fine lees for 12 months. The 25% barrel portion undergoes regular bâtonnage to build texture and depth, while the 75% stainless steel portion is aged in tanks with periodic lees stirring to add richness while protecting against oxidation. The two components are blended before bottling.
- TASTING NOTES: Ripe and fresh aromatics reveal notes of petrol, essence of pear, just-sliced apple, and hints of iodine. The palate shows vibrant detail and lovely concentration in medium-bodied flavors, with abundant sappy dry extract confirming the old-vine influence. The finish is complex, lingering, and intensely mineral with fossil-driven salinity. Subtle oak integration adds texture without overwhelming the wine's classic Chablis character. Honeysuckle notes emerge with time.
- FOOD PAIRINGS: Grilled fish, roasted poultry, shellfish, oysters, Coquilles Saint-Jacques, fish in beurre blanc sauce, goat cheese.
- SCORES: BURGHOUND 91 points
Bernard Defaix ‘Vieilles Vignes’ Chablis, Burgundy, France 2023
Domaine Bernard Defaix stands as a benchmark producer of classically styled, terroir-driven Chablis. Founded in 1959 by Bernard Defaix with just two hectares, this fourth-generation family estate has grown to 27 hectares under the stewardship of Bernard's sons Sylvain and Didier, alongside Didier's wife Hélène. Based in the village of Milly on Chablis' left bank, the domaine holds enviable parcels in premier cru sites including Côte de Léchet, Les Lys, and Vaillons, producing wines celebrated for their purity, precision, and mineral intensity.
- WINEMAKER: Sylvain Defaix (winemaking) and Didier Defaix (viticulture), with Hélène Jaeger-Defaix managing commercial operations.
- FARMING: Certified Organic (Ecocert certified since 2009). The estate employs biodynamic preparations including horn manure (500), horn silica (501), and herbal teas to stimulate vine vitality and combat parasites. Soil maintenance is achieved exclusively through plowing to aerate the earth and bury weeds. Only contact treatments such as sulfur and copper are used for vineyard protection.
- VARIETY: 100% Chardonnay from a single one-hectare parcel of 50+ year-old vines.
- TERROIR: The Vieilles Vignes parcel is located on the stony slopes of Milly with exceptional sun exposure. The vineyard sits on Chablis' characteristic Kimmeridgian clay-limestone soils rich in marine fossils, which impart the wine's distinctive mineral character and saline finish.
- VINIFICATION: Fermentation occurs with native yeasts. 25% of the wine is fermented in used oak barrels while 75% is fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, preserving aromatic purity and freshness.
- AGING: The wine is aged on fine lees for 12 months. The 25% barrel portion undergoes regular bâtonnage to build texture and depth, while the 75% stainless steel portion is aged in tanks with periodic lees stirring to add richness while protecting against oxidation. The two components are blended before bottling.
- TASTING NOTES: Ripe and fresh aromatics reveal notes of petrol, essence of pear, just-sliced apple, and hints of iodine. The palate shows vibrant detail and lovely concentration in medium-bodied flavors, with abundant sappy dry extract confirming the old-vine influence. The finish is complex, lingering, and intensely mineral with fossil-driven salinity. Subtle oak integration adds texture without overwhelming the wine's classic Chablis character. Honeysuckle notes emerge with time.
- FOOD PAIRINGS: Grilled fish, roasted poultry, shellfish, oysters, Coquilles Saint-Jacques, fish in beurre blanc sauce, goat cheese.
- SCORES: BURGHOUND 91 points