Domaine Vincent Dauvissat

René Dauvissat and François Raveneau, brothers-in- law, were for many years regarded as the outstanding producers in a Chablis region which had diminished sadly either side of World War II. There is more competition now but standards have not fallen at either domaine. Vincent Dauvissat has continued the good work, with the next generation in the form of son Ghislain and daughter Etiennette fully involved. Vincent has moved to biodynamic farming but does not make much of a fuss about it, although one comment he made in passing was quite striking. He described his father as the most biodynamic vigneron he had ever come across: although he used fertilisers and herbicides, because everybody did back then, nonetheless he had an instinctive understanding of and rapport with his vines that few others can ever have matched (except of course his brother-in-law!).

Winemaking has not changed. Fermentation takes place in tank with the wines being brought to barrel the following spring and kept for another year before bottling. The only new wood employed is just what is necessary to replace casks which are no longer sound. About half the barrels in the cellar are feuillettes of 132 litres – this is probably now the only domaine continuing the local tradition on any scale – making a classic style of Chablis which, despite the region’s undoubted revival, remains extremely rare.

The feuillette is particularly useful for the Petit Chablis, which has a shorter cycle in cask, and for soils such as Séchet which are strongly calcareous and respond better to the extra aeration which the small cask offers. Those who want the driest possible Chablis should buy the Dauvissat Séchet. The best known wine here is probably the wonderfully complex 1er Cru Forest, along with the two magnificent Grands Crus.