- A Return to the Classics
- A Vintage to Stock up on
- Mineral, Great Acidity, Depth, Drama
- Fabien's Have the Acidity of 2014 and the Fruit of 2016
- Terrific Depth
2018 Jean Dauvissat Pere & Fils Chablis 1er Cru "Vaillons"
- Nose: Incredibly Perfumed
- Classic Oyster Shell
- Green Apple Fruit, Meyer Lemon
- Smokey, Saline
- Very Refined and Clean
- Palate: Extraordinary Balance
- Huge Dry Extract
- Kumamoto Oyster
- Huge Inner Mouth Aromas
- Stunning Depth and Length
A Brief Rant on Fabien Dauvissat - I Want to "Make You Buy More"
Every day, I get a complaint from a customer that I should have "made them" buy more of a particular wine. My style is generally not to hard sell customers. I write what I believe in the E-Mails and I enter the orders.
Let me just say that if I could make people buy producers, this would be one I would make them buy.
I don't have 10 year old bottles of Dauvissat to try next to Raveneau but young, they generally outperform Raveneau. Fabien has the ability to combine remarkable density with clarity and balance. The wines are incredibly popular in France and prices will go up. They age beautifully at least in the 6 year timeframe and I'm guessing much more. And they are so inexpensive now, it's crazy. You should all be laying down cases of them.
So - I've said my piece. I "made you" all buy them.
The 2018 Vintage
By now you have all heard buy as much 2018 Chablis as you can get your hands on. It is the best vintage since 2014. It is a return to the classics. Stern minerality, big acids, intense structures, ample depth and wonderful nervy fruit. The 18s here are transcendental wines and they have it all. Acid,
Fabien's 2018s are like his 2014s crossed with his 2016s. Rich fruit of 2016, and the playful acidity of 2014, not quite as in your face, more like 17 freshness and acid but a brilliant juxtaposition to the intense fruit and minerality nonetheless.There is incredible depth, precision and a dramatic baroque character but is backed up by insane freshness.
Fabien Is Now (Officially) the Hottest Young Producer in Chablis
These wines are a "thing" in France and other countries in Europe (we are always behind over here in the USA) and they sell out quickly and since he has been anointed by Stephen Tanzer and Vinous, the urgency is intense. The wines now are strictly allocated as he sells every bottle before they are even bottled. His 18s were all spoken for almost as they were released. You cannot believe how hot he he is over in France. He's been a top 5 Chablis producer (if not top 3) for 3 years and his wines are ridiculously underpriced as everyone on the list who has tried them knows. It's good for Fabien, and lord knows he deserves it as he works his butt off. But our little secret is out.
These Wines Are Incredibly Ageworthy
The 2014 Vaillons is now absolutely thrilling drinking as is the straight Chablis AC in 2014. Small term aging on these two wines has unreal ROI. They change so much in 3-4 years. Compelling. The textures get even better and the nose gets more detailed and nuanced. Now, the prices. It is hilarious to me how cheap these wines are.
The 2018 Jean Dauvissat Pere & Fils Chablis 1er Cru "Vaillons" is $36.99 a bottle on a 4-Pack today. This is an insane wine and is the best young Vaillons since the epic 2014 and this comes close.
The purity and depth of the nose is what strikes you first. Perfumed, deep nose of classic oyster shell, some nice green apple fruit and Meyer lemon. You can tell this is less of a wild child than the Lechet which has more of a refined air about it. It's super perfumed and just has more depth but less in your face oyster than the Lechet. More round. Smokey, saline, refined and even some apple butter. Great aromas. So refined and clean. Almost feels like there is so much more, which there is.
Palate is so epic and deep with grace, depth and refinement. Balance is extraordinary. So juicy and serene with a sweetness and oyster juice brine quality that is more Kumamoto this time. More of a briney sweetness. More west coast than east coast. So pure, resonant and long. A word about the depth and long elevage. I find as a result of Fabien's elevage technique these wines have uncommon depth. Dense and so chewy the dry extract is very impressive. The wine is stacked. Huge inner mouth aromas with an insanely long and complex finish. Sappy, dense and so fresh. Electric. I could not believe the depth and length of this wine. Impeccable balanced and impossibly delicate as well. Gorgeous wine. What a great vintage 2018 is. It's silly how cheap this is.
2018 Domaine Dauvissat Chablis 1er Cru "Vaillons" - $38.99
($147.96 4-pack) (*Including tariff of $3.85)
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