Domaine Bernard Defaix Les Vaillons 2023 750ml

Product Info

Terroir
Les Vaillons is one of the most expressive and sun-favored Premier Cru sites on the left bank of the Serein River in Chablis. Domaine Bernard Defaix farms several parcels here, all rooted in the region’s hallmark Kimmeridgian limestone, rich with ancient marine fossils that impart the area’s unmistakable iodine, chalk, and saline precision. The slopes of Vaillons face primarily southeast, ensuring early morning light and gentle ripening that brings both aromatic lift and citrus-driven energy to Chardonnay. The 2023 vintage in Chablis was moderately warm but well-balanced by cool nights, resulting in fruit with excellent acidity, pristine ripeness, and beautifully transparent terroir expression. This wine shows the classic Vaillons combination of lithe structure, floral fragrance, and a mineral core that feels almost crystalline.

Winemaking & Technical Notes
Bernard Defaix is known for a thoughtful, eco-sensitive approach, working organically in the vineyards and emphasizing purity in the cellar. Grapes for Les Vaillons are hand-harvested and gently pressed before undergoing a cool fermentation in stainless steel, preserving clarity of fruit and tension. A portion of the wine (typically around 10–15%) is aged in neutral French oak barrels to enhance texture without adding overt wood aroma. The wine then matures on fine lees for 10–12 months, which deepens mouthfeel and contributes subtle brioche-like nuances. No bâtonnage is used, allowing the wine’s minerality and acidity to remain sharp and vertical. Alcohol sits around 12.5%, a classic expression of Premier Cru Chablis purity.

Tasting Notes
The 2023 Les Vaillons opens with beautifully lifted aromas of white peach, lemon blossom, green apple, and fresh-cut pear, woven with hints of crushed shell, chalk dust, and fennel pollen. On the palate, this vintage is sleek, pure, and finely etched, offering flavors of Meyer lemon, nectarine, and grapefruit pith, supported by a shimmering vein of minerality that runs the length of the wine. Mid-palate texture is subtly silky from lees contact, though the overall impression remains taut, bright, and intensely focused. The finish is long and chiseled, layered with notes of wet stone, oyster shell, and a faint herbal whisper, culminating in a mouthwatering, crystalline acidity that calls you back to the glass.

Food Pairing & Service
Serve at 48–52 °F (9–11 °C) in a white Burgundy or all-purpose tulip glass to highlight aromatic detail and mineral finesse. Decanting is not necessary, though the wine will open beautifully over 20–30 minutes.
Les Vaillons’ combination of citrus, salinity, and tension pairs wonderfully with shellfish—especially oysters, scallops, poached shrimp, and razor clams. It is also excellent with grilled sole, lightly buttered turbot, sushi and sashimi, or goat cheese with herbs. For a classic regional pairing, serve with Chablisienne gougères or poultry in a light cream sauce. Best enjoyed 2024–2030, though it will gain subtle depth with short-term cellaring.